


Illusions of Love

by alittlepieceofgundamwing_archivist



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Heartache, Lemon, Love Triangles, M/M, Original Character(s), Post Series, Seduction, Yaoi, these tags are seriously out of order - sorry!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-18
Updated: 2013-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 18:21:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 62,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14361021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alittlepieceofgundamwing_archivist/pseuds/alittlepieceofgundamwing_archivist
Summary: by Artemis--"I thought we could talk," Heero said as his eyes drifted down the long fall of unbound hair hanging over the tub's edge."You're leaving. What else is there to say?""Relena is important to the continued demilitarization of the Colonies and the Earth, and to the pacifist movement...""Hey, if you've come here to lecture don't bother," Duo said, cutting him off and turning his back on Heero.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

The caress of his lover's hand melted into his dream. It became one with the water that swirled around him in the warm pool in his unconscious mind. He delighted in its touch, letting the liquid hand swirl and grasp him.   
  
From the edge of the pool his lover watched, dipping his toes, but not wading into the depths.   
  
"Come on, Heero. The water's perfect," the boy spoke in his dream, holding out his hand invitingly.   
  
"Too deep," Heero said, shaking his head.   
  
"Can't you swim?" he asked, floating over to the edge and hanging on to his lover's ankles.   
  
Another shake of the head.   
  
"Don't worry. Everyone's got to learn sometime," he said, now tugging at the slender ankles.   
  
"No," came the simple yet firm response.   
  
"Please? I'll be right here with you."   
  
"I... can't," the boy said, pulling out of his grasp and standing. He looked down at the boy in the pool. "I can't," he repeated and turned.   
  
"Where are you going? Heero? Heero!"   
  
\+   
  
The moaning and kicking was finally too much.   
  
"Duo," Heero said softly, as he leaned up on an elbow. He had tried to decipher the incomprehensible murmurs, but the knit in his lover's brow told him the boy needed to be released from his dream now. "You're dreaming, Duo," he said, giving a nudge. "Wake up!"   
  
The push dislodged Duo from his restless sleep. "Huh?" he asked, as his eyes blinked open.   
  
"You were dreaming again."   
  
"Oh," Duo said, closing his eyes and wriggling closer to Heero as he pulled the sheet about them.   
  
"Want to tell me about it?" Heero asked as he slid back down into bed, pulling Duo into his arms.   
  
"Nah, it was nothing," Duo said, not really sure what the dream had been about.   
  
They held each other for a long moment, caressing each other's nakedness under the covers. It was a simple pleasure, but even these languid attentions were enough to arouse.   
  
We don't have time for another round, Heero thought as he looked at the digital clock on the bedstand. "We have to get up."   
  
"Not yet," Duo said, nuzzling Heero's neck.   
  
"Quatre is expecting us downstairs for dinner in less than an hour."   
  
"Plenty of time," Duo said, as he rubbed his growing hardness against the other boy's thigh.   
  
Heero's face warmed at the provocative touch. He knew Duo could easily seduce him into making love for the third time that afternoon, but he would make an effort to resist. "We both need a shower... especially you."   
  
"Why especially me?" Duo asked, as he hooked a leg over Heero's.   
  
"Because you can't go down there smelling like you do."   
  
Duo nipped his lover's earlobe. "Oh, really? I thought you liked me smelling of sex. And besides, Quatre and Trowa know what we've been doing."   
  
"And what's that?" Heero teased, as his groin stirred from the nibbling at his ear.   
  
"You know..." Duo said, letting his tongue map a wet line from Heero's ear down his jaw and to his lips. He pressed his lips to Heero's and the other boy accepted them in a slow, deep kiss. A fire was smoldering in each of their bellies, but they would play this game a little longer.   
  
"Sorry," Heero said, as he pulled out of the kiss. "My memory seems to have lapsed. I can't remember a thing from this afternoon."   
  
"Oh, you can't, huh? Another side effect of the war?" Duo asked, a smile tugging at his lips. "Maybe you need reminding?"   
  
"If you insist," Heero said with a smirk.   
  
"You bet I do," Duo said, and moved more fully on top of his lover. "Does this ring any bells?" He proceeded to kiss a path down Heero's neck and across his chest to a nipple.   
  
"Vaguely," Heero said, even as his heart quickened from anticipation and sensation.   
  
It pleased Duo that in moments like this, when they were alone, Heero could be playful. He knew this playfulness was reserved for him, and yet as close as they were, as intimate as they had become, Heero was still a bit of a mystery.   
  
Maybe that's what turns me on so much, Duo thought as he sucked the nipple into his mouth. He rolled his tongue around it, bringing it quickly to a firm peak.   
  
"Hnnnn," Heero moaned, grabbing Duo's partially unraveled braid.   
  
It amazed him how Duo knew all the right buttons to push even though they had been together for only a short time. What had started out as mutual annoyance had quickly turned to attraction, but the demands of the war and their missions to free the colonies had taken precedence over personal desires. Heero suspected that Duo had been open to a relationship much sooner than himself, and yet Duo had not been the first to make a move in that direction.   
  
He got under my skin, the former Wing Gundam pilot thought.   
  
The moment of truth had come when Heero had held a gun to Duo's face with every intention of killing him, but could not. He had seen Duo as an impediment to the completion of his mission, but when he had stared down the gun's barrel at those bright, round eyes and heard the disbelief in Duo's voice, something had clenched inside of him... around his heart. He had suddenly realized that Duo was not just another player in the war, he was something more... something that Heero was still trying to define.   
  
Now that the war was over they were greedily spending their days feeding on each other's desires. "Yes," Heero said, moaning. "That's it."   
  
"Now you remember what we did this afternoon?" Duo asked, as he pulled off the nub and rubbed his cheek over it.   
  
"Yes, yes," Heero relented, happily. His resistance had ended, as it always did, and in a move reminiscent of those on the battlefield, Heero flipped his lover off and pinned him under him. "Now I'm going to remind you," he said, and dove in for a hungry kiss.   
  
Duo accepted the kiss eagerly, opening his mouth and tangling his tongue with Heero's. From their first kiss, hell, from the first time Heero had looked at him with those intense blue eyes, Duo had known this boy was passionate. The fact that it had taken months to release that passion was of little concern to him now as he wrapped his legs around Heero's waist and ground their hard cocks together.   
  
In moments, Heero was slipping inside, feeling the deliciously tight grip around his shaft. "Ohhhh," he moaned, moving slowly as he savored the sensation.   
  
Duo arched under him, moaning with each gentle thrust. "Oh, yeah," he said, letting Heero guide the rhythm of their lovemaking.   
  
It was so much better now that the war was over. They had time for each other. They could make love as slow or as fast as they needed and in a real bed instead of in closets or on cold, metal floors.   
  
"Need to... speed... this up," Heero said, increasing the pace of his thrusts.   
  
"Worried we might... miss dinner?" Duo asked, as the harder thrusts pushed him further up on the bed.   
  
"They're expecting... us... uhnnnn," Heero said with a moan.   
  
"That's my Heero... you even come... on time," Duo said, chuckling.   
  
To ensure that they both would come soon, and be satisfied, Heero changed his angle of entry. Now each thrust rubbed against Duo's prostate, sending tingling, sizzling messages up and down the other boy's spine and nestling in his cock.   
  
"Oh, you are in a hurry!" Duo said, but he could hardly complain; it did feel wonderful. The combination of that slick, hard fullness inside him and the growing desire to reach orgasm had Duo wanting to rush to the end with Heero. "Come on, Heero. Let's do it together!"   
  
The words of encouragement had barely passed Duo's lips when Heero felt his orgasm breaking free. "Ah!" he cried out as he plunged inside his lover, emptying himself.   
  
Duo was just a heartbeat behind with his own forceful orgasm. They cried out together as their bodies instinctively moved harder and tighter against each other as they spent themselves in these final moments of passion. At last, when they could move no more, they lay on top of one another, sweat-slicked and out of breath.   
  
It was several minutes before even Heero had the strength to disentangle himself. Duo did not seem to notice as he rolled over and fell to sleep. Heero shook his head and made his way to the shower. He made quick work of getting clean, then put the stopper in the drain and filled the tub with warm water. He padded back into the bedroom where the sound of Duo's soft snoring confirmed that he had indeed fallen back to sleep.   
  
Well, at least this time he's not dreaming, Heero thought, as he bent down and scooped the other boy into his arms.   
  
"Wh-what?" Duo asked, waking to the sensation of being nestled in a strong embrace.   
  
Heero carried his lover into the steamy bathroom.   
  
When Duo focused his eyes he was surprised to see the tub filled and ready for him. "You made me a bath."   
  
"Very observant," Heero said, as he set Duo down on his feet. "Get in," he ordered, and then turned to grab a washcloth.   
  
The water was just right as Duo slipped down into the tub without hesitation. "Perfect," he said, flipping his braid over the edge and leaning back. "What's the occasion?"   
  
"I don't want you to be sore... I was a little rough that last time."   
  
Duo watched as Heero knelt next to the tub. "You weren't too rough," he assured him.   
  
"Well, then... good," Heero said as he dipped the washcloth into the water and proceeded to rub one of Duo's arms. "Usually we take turns."   
  
"Oh," Duo said. Now he understood. Normally they took turns topping, but today for some reason, Heero had seemed hungrier, needier than usual, and so Duo had let him top each time. "It's okay. You needed it more today," Duo said with a shrug. "But I appreciate the bath. You can do this anytime!"   
  
Heero grinned and then turned his attention to cleaning Duo. The boy definitely smelled of sex, but as Duo had said, Heero enjoyed the smell on him. It sent his own pistons to firing again, but now they were most certainly out of time for such play.   
  
Being bathed by one's lover was definitely a treat. Duo mewled and stretched and jabbered away about nothing at all as Heero soothingly and thoroughly washed him. This was definitely above and beyond Heero's norm of attentiveness. Though he had on occasion braided Duo's hair and was always a generous lover in bed, Heero had never been one to follow Duo around doting on him. This bath certainly ranked with doting.   
  
What's gotten into him today? Duo wondered as he leaned forward so that Heero could wash his back. But he knew he should not ask. That would only ruin things and he never liked Heero's explanations anyway.   
  
+  
  
Twenty minutes later, Heero and Duo were downstairs standing in the formal dining room of the Winner estate house. Though they had eaten in this room nearly every night for the last three weeks, this was the first time they had seen it prepared with all its finery.   
  
"I think I'm underdressed," Duo said, as he moved to his chair.   
  
"You look fine," Heero said, noting that Duo looked very tempting in those tight fitting black jeans and snug red turtleneck.   
  
Heero was also dressed simply in blue jeans and a light blue shirt, but did not feel bad about his casualness when he saw Trowa and Wufei come into the room dressed just as comfortably.   
  
"What's with all the silver and candelabras?" Heero asked, looking to Trowa for an answer.   
  
"I think Quatre's decided we're housebroken enough to bring out the good china," Trowa said with a laugh.   
  
"That or he's going to ask us to leave," Wufei said pessimistically.   
  
"What... like this is our Last Supper?" Duo asked as he reached across the table for the figs in a shining silver bowl.   
  
"Of course it isn't," Quatre said as he came into the room. Everyone sighed in relief when they saw that Quatre was also dressed casually, wearing a white shirt, tan trousers and loafers. "It just occurred to me that we never really celebrated the end of the war," he said and gestured for everyone to take their seats as he sat down at the head of the table. "I've even got that non-alcoholic champagne we talked about!"   
  
"You're kidding?" Duo asked, laughing. "Well, I'm just glad we all made it through the war."   
  
"And I'm happy that everyone accepted my invitation to come to my home, but I should have prepared this banquet weeks ago," Quatre said and clapped his hands for the servants to begin with the first course.   
  
"Your offer was very generous, Quatre," Heero said, grabbing a fig off Duo's plate. "We needed a place to think about the things that happened."   
  
Duo looked over at Heero. If his lover had been thinking about the war, he had not shared any of it with him. In fact, Heero had seemed to go out of his way not to mention the war. After that last battle in which Zechs Merquise had nearly succeeded in his warped vision to destroy the Earth in order to obtain peace, Duo could not blame Heero for wanting to put it all behind them.   
  
Five courses later, Quatre bid his guests to join him for more conversation and after-dinner drinks on the patio outside the dining room. Two large double doors opened onto the brick patio where torches had been lit and placed at intervals. Each of the former Gundam pilots was seated in a wicker chair and given flavored coffee.   
  
Duo chose amaretto coffee in keeping with his romantic mood. His body still vibrated with the memory of Heero's touch. And now, after sharing a savory meal with friends and sitting here under the stars, he was thinking of how this perfect day would end with a perfect night in his lover's arms. He looked over at Heero dreamily, envisioning the new heights of passion they might achieve.   
  
It seemed that Trowa and Quatre had much the same idea, for they were making eyes at one another as well.   
  
"While all of you have been looking deep into each other's eyes and doing... what you do," Wufei said, fidgeting a bit in his chair, "I've been coming to terms with killing Treize."   
  
That snapped everyone out of their private reverie and back to the horrors they had seen.   
  
"And have you... come to terms?" Quatre asked, remembering the rivalry between the two men.   
  
"It was a mistake," Wufei said firmly.   
  
"How can you call killing Treize Khushrenada a mistake?" Heero asked abruptly.   
  
"He was not the monster I thought he was. There was no justice in killing him," Wufei said, lowering his head.   
  
"You killed him in battle. You did what you had to do," Heero said, matter-of-factly.   
  
The tone in Heero's voice sent a chill through Duo. It reminded him of the war, too much of a time when Heero was more machine than boy. To hear him speak so now jolted Duo back to the reality that the war was still fresh in everyone's minds. Not everyone was so quick to shed their memories or their ways as Duo had hoped.   
  
He shook off the ill feeling and focused on Wufei. "What made you change your mind? About Treize?" he asked, feeling a terrible tightness form deep in his belly.   
  
Wufei raised his eyes to Duo, appreciative of the other boy's interest. "He knew how many soldiers had died for his cause, nearly a hundred thousand, he knew all their names."   
  
"He did?" Quatre asked, his brow knitting. "Heero, you also came face to face with Treize. What was he like?"   
  
"Arrogant," the dark haired boy said, simply.   
  
"And a worthy opponent. I never meant to kill him..." Wufei said, his head dipping again.   
  
There was a moment of silence, not so much for Treize, but for the war in general. Each boy had seen and done so much in the name of the colonies that it was still overwhelming to consider. As fresh as the memories were in their minds and hearts, it was unusual for them to speak of it. It was as if it had been too much and none could put it into words.   
  
At last Wufei broke the uneasy silence. "Sally has asked me to join her. She's rebuilding villages in China that were destroyed in the war. I think the work will do me good. It will be my penance."   
  
"Penance? Like you committed a sin?" Duo asked, surprised that any of them would feel a need to atone.   
  
"Meditation has not brought me the peace I seek, but maybe work can. Maybe it can cleanse me of this injustice."   
  
The other pilots stared at Wufei, confused and surprised to hear him call killing Treize an injustice.   
  
He's really broken up about this, Duo thought. It was a difficult thing for him to understand. For Duo the war had been a chance to make amends, take revenge for Maxwell Orphanage and do the right thing... for a change. As best he could figure he was a lucky guy, he had survived the war and even found a lover in the process.   
  
"Then you're leaving?" Duo asked, saddened that the team would be separated.   
  
"Yes," the Chinese boy said and stood.   
  
"Now, Wufei?" Quatre asked, noting the rigid stance of his friend.   
  
"Yes, I'm catching a flight tonight," he said, and bowed to Quatre. "Thank you for your hospitality. I hope one day to return the favor."   
  
Quatre stood as well and held out his hand. "I wish you didn't have to go, but I understand."   
  
Each of the pilots stood and wished Wufei luck in his journey. A short time later, he was gone.   
  
The four remaining pilots returned to their chairs on the patio, taking up their drinks and sipping quietly. Under the deep blue night sky each boy came to the same conclusion. The war was truly over. The Gundam team that had been united in the final battle was now disbanded.   
  
Wufei's taken the first step toward the future, Quatre thought as he let his eyes drift to each of his friends. They were all deep in their thoughts and probably thinking the same thing. The past three weeks had been necessary and good, but very soon each of them would need to choose his future path.   
  
"I'm glad Wufei stayed as long as he did... even though he spent most of his time alone," Quatre said, trying to sort this out.   
  
"He was never comfortable being part of the group," Trowa pointed out as he took Quatre's hand in his.   
  
Quatre smiled at his lover's reassuring touch. "Well, at least we know we'll all be together for a while."   
  
"Actually, I have an announcement," Heero said, looking to Quatre. "I received a message from Relena yesterday. She's asked me to become her security advisor."   
  
"Huh?" Duo asked, gaping. This was the first he had heard anything about it.   
  
Quatre exchanged a glance with Trowa and then looked back to Heero. "And what did you tell her, Heero?"   
  
"I accepted her offer."   
  
"You did what?!" Duo asked, jumping up from his chair.   
  
"She needs my help," Heero said matter-of-factly. "There are still threats against her and the pacifist movement."   
  
"And you're the only one who can help her?" Duo asked, sarcastically.   
  
"I'm the only one she asked, and I'm leaving in the morning," Heero said, reaching over and giving Duo's thigh a little pat.   
  
Duo smacked Heero's hand away, not wanting any contact when he felt so betrayed. "When were you planning to tell me?"   
  
"Now," Heero said, simply.   
  
Duo took a step back, faltering as this new reality took root in his mind. "You can't be serious. We never discussed this."   
  
"Was I supposed to ask your permission?" Heero asked, bristling at the thought.   
  
Before Duo could answer, Quatre rushed to Duo's side. "I'm sure this happened very suddenly," he said, trying to ease the growing tension.   
  
"Not for Heero," Duo said, bitterly. "These weeks without a purpose have been eating at him... Haven't they, Heero?"   
  
"I'll admit to some boredom, but we all needed a break..."   
  
Duo crossed his arms over his chest as his lower lip began to tremble. "Your mind's made up?"   
  
"Relena needs me," Heero said, standing to face Duo.   
  
"And I don't?" Duo asked, clenching his hands as he looked into Heero's eyes.   
  
"You can take care of yourself like you always have," Heero said, not backing down from that determined gaze.   
  
For Heero the choice was clear. Relena was important to the stability of peace in the EarthSphere. She needed help in order to maintain that peace, but Duo had never needed him. What he and Duo had was of a physical nature, a sexual hunger for one another, but it was something they could live without. Or so he thought.   
  
"Taking care of myself isn't the issue," Duo said, setting his fists to hips, his face flaming with a building anger.   
  
"Then what is?"   
  
"If you don't know by now, then what's the point of me telling you?" Duo replied in a huff and turned tail back into the house, his braid whipping behind him.   
  
+

By the time Duo's feet stopped moving, he was standing on the upstairs landing, looking down the unlighted hallway. His breath was coming in quick, short intakes. He bent forward, holding his hands on his thighs, trying to regain his calm.   
  
"I... can't... breathe," he gasped out, even as he continued to take in quick draughts of air. "Shit!"   
  
He was hyperventilating, and as soon as his head started spinning, he knew he needed to lie down. Somehow he managed to move forward, making his way into the room he shared with Heero. There he collapsed on the bed face down, still sucking air into his lungs in quick, shallow breaths.   
  
He replayed the conversation in his head. Heero was leaving to work for Relena. And in true Heero fashion he did not think to mention it beforehand to Duo, or even to ask him to join him in Sank.   
  
He's leaving me, Duo thought as tears began to fall down his cheeks.   
  
During the war their relationship had been tentative and even antagonistic at times, but since the war's end they had spent every day together and never once argued. The sex was great, but Duo believed their relationship was about more than that. They respected each other and had become a couple. Or so he thought.   
  
He wiped the tears away with his sleeve and chuckled at the notion that Heero thought he was strong. In this moment, Duo was anything but strong. He had faced death innumerable times during the war, but he had never been afraid or weak until now. There had been so much loss in his life, but he had thought he was past that all now. He had thought he and Heero would be together from now on. Obviously, he was wrong.   
  
\+   
  
Downstairs, Heero's eyes were fixed on the door Duo had disappeared behind. He had not blinked or moved a muscle in over a minute.   
  
"Heero? Aren't you going after him?" Quatre asked, feeling powerless to help.   
  
"Duo probably needs to be alone right now," Trowa cautioned.   
  
Quatre turned bright aquamarine eyes to his lover. "But this isn't right," he said and then looked at Heero again. "You should go after him."   
  
"He'll get over it," Heero finally said.   
  
The little Arabian gasped at the apparent insensitivity of that remark. "And I called you the Heart of Outer Space! Was I mistaken, Heero?"   
  
There was no response.   
  
Trowa slipped his arm around Quatre's shoulder and pulled him close. "Let's give him some time alone. I'm sure he'll talk to Duo again... won't you, Heero?"   
  
"Hn."   
  
That was enough to assure Trowa that Heero would manage the situation, but Quatre was not as confident. He reluctantly let his lover guide him away to take a walk in the cool night air.   
  
Heero's eyes drifted up toward the second floor of the house. He knew Duo was up there, in their room. He was disappointed, but not completely surprised at Duo's reaction. The boy had grown accustomed to the leisurely lifestyle Quatre had given them, and it was only fair that he would be upset to see this little world come crashing down. But Duo also knew of Heero's strong sense of duty, especially to Relena.   
  
She's the EarthSphere's best chance for a lasting peace, Heero thought, as he set his mind to mission mode once again.   
  
He needed to speak with Duo, but he could not do it just yet. He wanted to be calm, and Duo made him anything but calm. If this was to be their last night together, he did not want them spending it apart.   
  
\+   
  
Over an hour later, Heero made his way upstairs to their room. The door was unlocked, but when he went inside all the lights in the bedroom were off. Then he noticed a light coming from under the bathroom door. He walked over and put his ear to the closed door. All was quiet.   
  
He was not worried that Duo would do anything rash like killing himself over this, but he did want to talk again. He tapped on the door. "Duo?"   
  
Inside the bathroom, Duo was immersed up to his chin in warm bath water. He was trying to find his "calm center," a term Wufei had taught him, but he was not having any luck. And now Heero was here. He sat up, but did not answer.   
  
Heero heard the sluicing of water and slowly opened the door. His eyes met those of his lover's at once and he stepped inside the room.   
  
"I thought we could talk," he said as his eyes drifted down the long fall of unbound hair hanging over the tub's edge.   
  
"You're leaving. What else is there to say?"   
  
"Relena is important to the continued demilitarization of the Colonies and the Earth, and to the pacifist movement..."   
  
"Hey, if you've come here to lecture don't bother," Duo said, cutting him off and turning his back on Heero.   
  
Heero watched in fascination as the long chestnut hair trailed into the water behind him. That damn hair, he thought as he felt a tingling in his groin.   
  
During the war, he had decided that Duo's demonstrative personality and girlishly long hair were weaknesses. They would attract unwanted attention and get the boy killed. But Duo had survived the war just fine, maybe better than any of them, and his hair had since become much more to Heero.   
  
An image of Duo straddling him with his hair unbound and covering their nakedness sent another jolt straight to Heero's groin. He was the one with the weakness now.   
  
"Let me..." Heero said, as he knelt next to the tub and picked up a brush and then reached in for a lock of wet hair.   
  
Duo looked over his shoulder and held his breath as Heero began to brush out his hair. "Don't..." he started to protest and wanted to pull away, but it would have been a lie. He wanted this touch, needed this touch. "Why, Heero? Why didn't you tell me you had talked to Relena?"   
  
Heero brushed through the lock once more before answering. "I knew it would upset you."   
  
Duo turned to face him. "You're acting like we don't mean anything to each other... like this is supposed to be easy."   
  
Heero set down the brush and looked into Duo's violet eyes. "Look, I don't want to argue with you. I've gotten out of the habit these past weeks."   
  
"Yeah, it's been nice," Duo said with a small grin.   
  
Those words and that half smile prompted Heero to take Duo's face in his hands and kiss him. When Duo did not push him away he took the kiss deeper, parting the other boy's lips with his tongue. They fed on each other's mouths, emitting little hungry sounds and raising the temperature between them.   
  
Their differences seemed forgotten, and Heero stood, bringing Duo with him as they continued to kiss. The water rushed off Duo as he stood with his hands clenching the front of Heero's shirt to keep from losing his balance in the tub.   
  
Heero's hands drifted over Duo's slender, wet frame, settling finally on his bottom and giving it a firm squeeze. The possessive grope reminded Duo of the moment immediately following Heero's announcement. He had patted Duo's thigh as if everything was fine. The memory jolted Duo out of the seduction. He pushed Heero away.   
  
"Oh, I get it," he said, panting from the intensity of the kiss. "You don't wanna argue, because you wanna get laid tonight! One last tumble before you leave me behind like some outmoded mobile suit."   
  
Heero's body was thrumming with arousal and he was in no mood to battle wits. "Then come with me if you want. I'm sure there's work for you, too."   
  
Duo shook his head as he stepped out of the tub. "Come with you if *I* want? Well, what the hell do *you* want?"   
  
"To do my duty," Heero said, sounding like a paid advertisement for the youth corps, even though he meant it.   
  
"You mean your duty to Relena," Duo said, resentfully.   
  
"Yes, what's wrong with that? She's the symbol of peace..."   
  
"I know, I know!" Duo said, holding up his hands to stop the familiar chant. "I guess nothing's changed. The war might as well not even be over."   
  
Heero narrowed his eyes on Duo, frustrated more than ever. What does he want from me? he wondered as he reached for a towel on the rack and tossed it to his friend. "That's your problem, Maxwell. You could never see how important Relena is to peace."   
  
"Fuck you!" Duo shouted as he threw the towel back at him. "I risked my life everyday, fighting for peace, and what did Relena do?"   
  
"She was brave enough not to fight."   
  
Duo closed his eyes and turned his head away. That declaration hit him as hard as if Heero had slapped him across the face. It felt as if a terrible weight was descending, and Duo could do nothing to stop it.   
  
"Go," he said, barely above a whisper.   
  
"What?" Heero asked, tilting his head to see the face hidden by the unbound hair.   
  
"You heard me," Duo said, clenching his jaw.   
  
Heero stood for a moment, unmoving. This was not how he had pictured this night ending. "This is what you want?" he asked, unable or unwilling to comprehend what was happening.   
  
Duo's face turned to him with a dark intensity burning in his eyes. "Just get the fuck out of here!" he shouted and pointed to the door, his hand trembling slightly.   
  
The former Wing pilot flinched at the power of emotion conveyed in that one sentence. As a soldier he knew when he was outgunned and when it was best to leave the field of battle. And so Heero left.   
  
As he stepped into the hall and closed the bedroom door behind him, he felt the finality of the act.   
  
It's over, he thought, bowing his head. It's over.   
  
+  
  
The soft click of the bedroom door cracked Duo's hard facade. He fell to his knees on the tile floor and squeezed his eyes shut to fight back the tears.   
  
Heero, he thought, angrily. How is it that Relena has so much power over you and I have none?   
  
Images from the past months flooded his mind: Relena protecting Heero from Duo that first day on Earth, Duo and Heero attending class at Relena's fancy boarding school, and Duo telling Heero that Relena was aboard the Libra, knowing that he would want to look out for her. The girl had been intertwined with their lives from the beginning and yet Duo had never been jealous before now.   
  
Minutes passed as he tried to sort things out. What was he jealous about? He knew that Heero was not attracted to Relena, it was perfectly clear each time they made love. Could it be that Heero actually did put duty above all else... even love?   
  
I don't even know if he loves me, Duo thought, cringing at the hard truth. "But I know I love him," he whispered shakily.   
  
Hearing the declaration from his own lips jolted Duo. His eyes shot open and he suddenly realized just how quiet the house had become.   
  
Maybe it would not be such a bad idea to make love again, he thought as he got to his feet and retrieved the discarded towel. It would be better than this silence.   
  
As he walked into the bedroom while drying himself off with the towel, the empty bed stirred memories of the many times he and Heero had lain there together. They never argued in bed. Heero was a damn good lover, too, generous and skilled, and always saw to Duo's needs.   
  
"And he liked to talk afterward," Duo remembered fondly with a little smile.   
  
For some reason, sex made Heero talkative and even a little romantic. After they climaxed he would hold Duo and either start talking right away, or wait until Duo had taken a short post-coital nap. Either way he would talk about things that interested his lover such as motorcycles and comic books.   
  
"Oh, God," Duo said, suddenly. "He did want to talk... and making love always made it easier for him. Shit!"   
  
In a rush, Duo grabbed a pair of jeans out of the dresser and nearly tripped over himself getting them on. He burst into the hallway and slid down the banister to the bottom of the stairs, his hair flying behind him. As he hopped off the end of the carved wooden rail he nearly ran smack into Trowa.   
  
"Whoa!" he cried out as he skidded to a stop.   
  
Trowa took a half step back, but did not seem startled.   
  
"I gotta find Heero. Have you seen him?"   
  
The taller boy looked towards the door. "Maybe you should talk to Quatre."   
  
"He's with Quatre... Outside?"   
  
"I'm right here, Duo," Quatre said as he rounded the corner. He looked his friend over, surprised by his state of undress and his unruly hair.   
  
"Where's Heero? Trowa said he was with you."   
  
"He was..." Quatre answered and then felt a twinge inside him. His eyes slipped away to his lover, then down at the marble floor.   
  
"What is it?" Duo asked, even as his heart began to pound hard against his chest. "Why won't you tell me where Heero is?"   
  
"He's gone, Duo," Quatre said softly, raising his eyes. "Heero's gone."   
  
Duo gave a little snort in disbelief. "Yeah, right. He's not leaving until the morning," he replied, and then padded off down the hall to the library where Heero liked to spend his evenings.   
  
"Heero?" Duo called as he peered inside the room. It was empty and his heart sank. Hell, it felt like the damn sky was falling on him. "When..." he asked, turning back to see the pity in his friends' eyes, "... did he leave?"   
  
"About twenty minutes ago," Trowa explained. "He drove himself to Quatre's private airfield... and took one of the planes."   
  
"We thought you knew, Duo," Quatre said, apologetically.   
  
"Did he say... anything?" Duo asked, feeling smaller by the moment.   
  
"He thanked me for letting him stay here, but that was all. Oh, Duo, I'm so sorry..."   
  
"No, Quatre, it's not your fault," Duo said, trying to reassure his friend. "I told him to leave, but I didn't think he would. He didn't even take his things."   
  
"Maybe that means he'll be back soon!" Quatre said, optimistically.   
  
"He's not coming back," Duo said, and turned as a tear slid down his cheek.   
  
"Where are you going, Duo?" Quatre asked as Duo began to walk away.   
  
"Nowhere, I guess," he replied, and his shoulders slumped.   
  
\+   
  
For the next week, Duo was just a shell of himself. He spent most of his days sitting alone in his and Heero's room, staring out the window as if half-expecting his lover to return. Other times he walked through the house until he come upon a place that reminded him of Heero and then he would sigh and return to his room.   
  
Quatre and Trowa both tried to talk to their despondent friend, but Duo rarely said more than a few words to them. After three days, Trowa diagnosed Duo as being in a "funk" and advised Quatre to give up his efforts, but the Arabian could not completely abandon his friend. He made sure Duo ate each day, even if only a few spoonfuls of soup and one or two bites of falafel.   
  
Finally, after seven days, Quatre decided they had all had enough.   
  
"I'm sorry Duo, but my hospitality ends today." It hurt Quatre to say that, but it seemed the right words to stir a reaction.   
  
Duo snapped out of his Heero-daze long enough to turn curious eyes on his friend. "What do you mean, buddy?"   
  
"Do you realize that's the most you've said to me in four days?"   
  
"Uh, sorry," Duo replied, ducking his head. "I guess I haven't been myself lately."   
  
Quatre gave a little smile, pleased that at least Duo was talking again. "I know Heero leaving was a shock to you, but you've got to start living again. Listen, I shouldn't need to tell you that. You were always the one who could handle anything."   
  
Duo clamped down on a sob. He was not about to start crying again. He had given up on it days ago.   
  
Quatre knew Duo was still struggling emotionally. He could feel it. "Have you thought about contacting him?" he asked, tentatively.   
  
"No way. I'm not crawling back to him."   
  
"Then what are you doing? You've been staring out that window for a week."   
  
Duo exhaled deeply and lowered his head. "I've done a lot of thinking, Quatre, but no matter how I look at things I still get the same answer."   
  
"What's that?"   
  
The boy looked up, turning wide blue eyes on his friend. "I guess I never knew him. Heck, the guy's as far from normal as you can get, but I thought I could figure him out."   
  
"You would have... in time," Quatre said, placing his hand on Duo's arm.   
  
Duo smiled at his friend's touch. "Things would've been a lot easier if I had ended up with you," Duo said, chuckling and watching Quatre's cheeks color. "Oh, don't worry, I know you and I are too much alike to get along that way. I think that's what attracted me to Heero in the first place. He couldn't be any more different than me."   
  
"It's good to find someone who balances you," Quatre admitted.   
  
"You did good by Trowa. So you two got any plans?"   
  
"Actually, we've done a lot of talking and have decided to return to outer space."   
  
"No kidding. Well, I wish you all the best."   
  
"We'd like you to come with us, Duo. I'm going to have my hands full running my father's corporation, and Trowa will be working with the Colonial government. We could use your help and I know how you've missed outer space."   
  
"Yeah, outer space..." Duo said, smiling, but then turned his face away and frowned. "I can't."   
  
"Then what will you do?"   
  
"I haven't decided. I think I'll just... wander. Check out the planet a little before I settle down."   
  
Quatre was silent for a moment contemplating his friend being on his own. He knew Duo could take care of himself, but it saddened him to think of Duo alone. Of course, the boy would probably make new friends in a hurry.   
  
"You'll always be welcome on L4," he said, and impulsively leaned in and gave Duo a little kiss on the cheek.   
  
"Hey, what was that for?" Duo asked, putting his hand over his cheek and looking more than a little surprised.   
  
"You're a good friend," Quatre said, standing. "Trowa and I won't be leaving for a few days. You're welcome to stay until then."   
  
"Thanks buddy," Duo said with a smile, peeling himself out of the chair he had been sitting in all morning. "You're a great friend, too, and I'd love to hang around, but I think you're right... I need to be going. I'll just pack my things and be on my way."   
  
\+   
  
True to his word, Duo left that day, taking a flight to Europe and then beginning his journey. There was freedom in roaming, in knowing that he could go anywhere and not have to worry about being tracked by the enemy or attacked by a squadron of Leos, but there was more to it than that. He needed time to sort things out, to come to terms with what had happened between him and Heero, and hiking along country back roads gave him that.   
  
When he had started out it was a bit of a forced march. If Quatre had not pushed him out of the nest that day, he would probably still be sitting there in Arabia... waiting. It was not like him to be such a wimp, but the way things had ended had really thrown him, knocked him down in the worst way. It was similar to the emptiness and displacement he had felt when Maxwell Orphanage was destroyed... only worse. He had not planned on giving his heart to Heero, but it sure felt like he had.   
  
He missed Quatre and Trowa, and even Wufei, but their friendship could not compare to the loss he felt over Heero. No matter how many miles he put behind him he still ached for the other boy. More than once he had changed direction and started northeast toward the Sank Kingdom, and each time he had stopped himself. The conflict between his heart and his head just too much.   
  
What soured him more than anything was not Relena, or Heero's half-hearted invitation to come along, but the fact that Heero had not contacted any of them the week following his departure. Now, nearly three months later, Duo was still stumbling about the countryside, searching for direction and trying to forget the pain that gnawed in his belly.   
  
On top of everything else, he was tired. He had walked most of the way or hitched rides, and his body ached from physical and emotional exhaustion. He needed to plant his feet somewhere or run the risk of walking in circles for the rest of his life.   
  
The notion of going to America crossed his mind. It was not the first time he had thought of his ancestral home, or wondered about the parents he had never known. If he was searching for direction, for a place to settle, maybe the most logical place to start was at the beginning... at his roots. The decision to go back also had the added benefit of putting more distance between him and Heero.   
  
His mind was made up. He would call America home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Artemis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Exactly three months, seventeen days and six hours after Heero had left, Duo was given the keys to his new apartment in downtown Boston. Thanks to a little farewell gift from Quatre, he had enough money for the first two months' rent.   
  
The partially furnished apartment was in a neighborhood the landlady called "changing." To Duo that seemed like an understatement. Half the buildings were deserted and in the process of being renovated. Sidewalks were torn up and potholes marked the street like bad acne, but the place had character.   
  
Had he arrived six months from now he would not have been able to afford the rent. The change would be complete and the nouveau riche would be fighting each other off to obtain a lease in this district. But with the street looking like a bombed out war zone, new tenants were few and far between. Duo felt completely at home.   
  
With a place to call his own, Duo set out to find a job. He decided very quickly that he did not want to go back to dealing in junk or working on high tech equipment. He wanted something that would give him a chance to meet lots of people and where his conversational skills would be appreciated.   
  
On his first day out, he landed a job with a rare books dealer, making deliveries. The job would be a great way for him to learn the city and a great excuse for him to buy a motorcycle to get around. However, the pay was not as much as he had hoped, and so he took a second job working in a coffee shop just around the corner from the bookstore. The jobs gave him the variety and freedom he needed in his life and kept him too busy to think about his ex-lover.   
  
"Hey, Duo. I need a coffee latte and do that thing you do!" Rikk called from over his shoulder as he took the money from the customer.   
  
"Sure thing!" Duo called back.   
  
In the week since he had started working at the coffee shop, Duo had learned all their specialty drinks and had a knack for improving on them... when the manager was not around. He also had gotten into the habit of trying to guess people's poison before they ordered.   
  
"Here ya' go," he said, handing the drink to the customer.   
  
"Did you add your secret weapon like I like?" the woman asked, her mouth watering in anticipation.   
  
"You bet!" Duo said with a wink.   
  
He looked over at the counter and saw that the after work crowd had arrived. It was a little after five o'clock in the afternoon--the second rush hour of the day for the tiny shop. He stepped up to take the order of the next person in line.   
  
"Let me guess," he said, looking up to see a tall man in a well-tailored suit and dark sunglasses. "You've got a taste for something exotic. Something that'll take your mind off your day, take you to another plane of existence..."   
  
Before Duo could finish dispensing his special brand of fortune telling, the gentleman cut him off, stating flatly, "Coffee... black."   
  
Duo blinked at the man's obvious disregard for the game. "Are you sure?" he asked, looking into the dark glasses only to see his own reflection. "That's a pretty tame drink you just ordered and I'm thinking you could use some excitement in your life."   
  
"I take my coffee black," the man repeated in an even tone, a tone that gave Duo chills.   
  
"O-kay... whatever the customer wants," he said, and turned from the counter to fill the order.   
  
He did not know why, but for some reason he felt completely off balance. It was as if the man had just challenged him. Under any other circumstances, Duo would not have backed down, but he had been taught 'the customer knows best' and he sure as hell did not want to get fired his first week on the job.   
  
He went back to the counter and handed the man his coffee. "That'll be two dollars."   
  
The man gave him the money and then sat in a comfortable chair in their small seating area.   
  
For the next twenty minutes, Duo kept glancing over at the stranger. He decided the guy was too good looking for his own good. He was tall and lean, and was most certainly hiding heavenly blue eyes behind those ridiculously dark glasses. He was also blond, very blond. White eyebrows were visible over the rim of the glasses, and his short hair was smoothed back stylishly.   
  
"That guy come in here often?" Duo asked Rikk.   
  
"The Ice Man?" Rikk asked, chuckling. "Don't tell me you're drooling over him, too?"   
  
"Nah, just curious."   
  
Rikk smirked, not believing his new friend. "He's been coming in off and on for the past three weeks."   
  
"He ever order anything else?"   
  
"Nope. Wait a minute, he did have tea once. Hey, you can't win 'em all, Duo. So what if you didn't guess his drink right."   
  
Duo smiled and then turned to grab the coffeepot, thinking he could strike up a conversation with the guy while refilling his mug. When he turned back the blond stranger was already out the door.   
  
"Damn," he said, and set the pot down hard. "I gotta talk to that guy."   
  
He bolted from behind the counter, nearly knocking down two young ladies coming into the shop. By the time he got outside he could not see where the man had gone.   
  
"There's something about that guy...," he said, scratching his head as he scanned the street.   
  
Two days passed before the mysterious "Ice Man" returned to the coffee shop. By then, Duo had convinced himself that he knew this man or someone like him. When it was the man's turn to place his order, Rikk made sure Duo was there to take it.   
  
"Let me guess," Duo said, cocking his head. "Coffee... black."   
  
The man hesitated, but then the tiniest smile curved his lips. "That's right."   
  
The subtle smile, combined with the softness in the man's tone, made Duo realize he had broken through. The "Ice Man" could be melted.   
  
"One black coffee coming up," Duo crowed triumphantly.   
  
The man paid for the beverage and then took his drink to sit quietly near the door. Emboldened by his breakthrough, Duo decided the first chance he got he would go over and speak to him, get his story.   
  
The boy nervously waited on several more customers before there was enough of a break for him to bolt from his station behind the counter. With coffeepot in hand, he approached the blond stranger, noticing for the first time that the man's hair was not short at all, he had a ponytail hidden inside the collar of his shirt.   
  
"Would you like that warmed up?" Duo asked, as he approached ready to pour.   
  
The man looked up, one white eyebrow arching in curiosity. "No, thank you."   
  
Duo stared, sensing failure looming close. The feeling that he knew this man was growing stronger. "The way you're savoring that coffee, I'll bet this is your first cup of the day," Duo said with a smile. "Don't need it to get you going in the morning, huh?"   
  
The man's lips pursed in frustration, and then he stood.   
  
Duo took a step back, his mouth gaping as he got the full impact of the man's height. He was easily a foot taller than the diminutive former Gundam pilot. The stranger looked down at Duo and then turned to leave.   
  
"Wait! Don't I know you from somewhere?" Duo blurted out desperately.   
  
The man stopped, his shoulders seeming to stiffen, but he did not turn or reply. Duo stared at his back, not sure what to say or do next, but then the man just continued on his way.   
  
Rikk took pity on Duo and came over to nudge him back to reality. "I don't know why you're bothering with him. He's way out of your league. Can't you see that crown stuck up his ass?"   
  
"W-what?" Duo asked, blinking and turning to his friend.   
  
"A crown... you know, like a king or something. He walks like he owns the whole planet. King of the Ice Men!" Rikk laughed and then went back to waiting on customers.   
  
A king? Duo wondered as he retreated behind the counter. He knew Rikk was only joking, but somehow that made sense.   
  
Later that evening he stopped by the rare bookstore where Mr. Brentwood had some last minute deliveries for him to make.   
  
"Duo, thanks for coming by on such short notice. I've got a customer, a professor who's having a dinner party tonight and insisted I get these to him." The middle-aged man with the protruding stomach handed Duo a brown-wrapped package with an address scrawled on it. "He lives in Midtown, but it shouldn't take you long at this hour."   
  
"Right, Mr. Brentwood," Duo said, tucking the package under his arm.   
  
Just then the front door chimed and both men looked up from their business to greet the customer. Duo's mouth gaped the moment he saw the man. It was the stranger from the coffee shop! That sense of recognition skittered through his psyche once again.   
  
"I'd better see to Mr. Merquise," the proprietor of the shop said.   
  
"Whoa, did you just say Merquise?" Duo asked, staring with a mix of horror and wonderment at his employer and then back at the stranger.   
  
"Yes, he's one of my best new customers."   
  
Before Mr. Brentwood could come around from behind his sales counter, Duo leapt forward as though springing in attack. In several quick strides he was standing in front of the stranger, who had removed his sunglasses on entering the shop.   
  
"I do know you!" Duo called out as he pointed an accusatory finger. "You're Zechs Merquise. But you're supposed to be dead!"   
  
Startled, the man took a step back, his eyes widening and then narrowing quickly. "You're that boy from the coffee shop."   
  
"I'm Duo Maxwell! I fought against you in the war!"   
  
The man's features went pale and in a flash he turned on his heels and was out the door. Duo stepped forward to pursue him, but was yanked back by a heavy hand on his shoulder.   
  
"What the hell are you doing?!" Mr. Brentwood screamed. "I just got through telling you that man is my best customer and you frighten him off with accusations from the war."   
  
"But he's Zechs Merquise of White Fang!"   
  
"I don't care if he's the devil himself!" The man's voice bellowed so loudly that the glass vases on the shelf behind the counter shook. "His money is good here and you will not run off my customers like that! Understood?"   
  
Duo swallowed hard. Every muscle in his body was coiling to spring back into action, to dart out that door after the enemy of the EarthSphere. But Mr. Brentwood still had a grip on his shoulder and the displeasure in the man's face told Duo he was very close to losing his job.   
  
"Yeah, okay," Duo said, his brow knitting.   
  
"Good, now make that delivery. And remember I need you in here at six a.m. tomorrow to stock shelves."   
  
Duo nodded and the man released his shoulder.   
  
He hurried out the front door of the shop, but again Zechs had disappeared. He shivered as an image of Zechs as the leader of the White Fang, announcing his intentions to destroy the Earth, sent a chill through him once again. It had seemed impossible to stop him, even Relena failed to sway her brother from his diabolical plan, but in the end someone did stop him.   
  
"Heero," Duo whispered. It was the first the other boy's name had been spoken aloud in weeks. It was also the first the old ache had managed to creep back into his gut.   
  
He took a deep breath, clenching his fists against the pain. Life really sucked if an old enemy could stir painful memories of a former lover.   
  
"Damn it, Zechs. Why couldn't you have stayed dead?" Duo muttered as he strapped the books onto the back of his bike and then straddled the seat.   
  
He started the motorcycle and sped off down the street, his eyes scanning the pedestrians. It was hard to believe that Zechs could have survived the explosion that stopped the quarter section of Libra from falling to Earth. No one had found any remains of him or his mobile suit the Epyon. Now that it was clear he had survived, Duo felt sure he needed to do something, but what?   
  
Over the next week, Duo spent every free moment riding his motorcycle through the streets and alleys of Boston, searching for his old enemy. He had plenty of time to relive in his mind all he had witnessed of Zechs's destructive capabilities. How the man had fought with a rage, speed and skill so powerful that Duo had cowered from him in battle. And how he had destroyed space fortress Barge, mercilessly taking hundreds of lives.   
  
Exhausted from working two jobs and hunting Zechs Merquise, Duo grumbled as he pulled up behind the coffee shop early Saturday morning. Usually he made deliveries for Mr. Brentwood during the day and then worked second shift at the coffee shop, but on Saturdays it was the reverse, forcing Duo to wake up three hours earlier.   
  
He yawned loudly as he walked up to the back entrance, jangling the keys as he felt for the right one in the diffused light of the early morning.   
  
"Gundam pilot, zero two," a man's voice said.   
  
The designation sent a chill through Duo. "Zechs," he said and turned quickly.   
  
He had not seen anyone when he had approached the building, but now he looked deep into the building's dark recesses and there he saw the shadowy figure of a man. Instinctively, he reached for his gun, but in his rush to get to work this morning he had left it behind in his apartment.   
  
"I have no intentions of harming you," Zechs said, as he stepped within several feet of his former adversary. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his long black coat. "I think it's time we talked."   
  
"Talk? You mean you've got something you need to get off your chest before you kill me?" Duo accused as his heart hammered in his chest.   
  
Was this how his life was going to end? Being cut down in an alley long after the war's hostilities had ended? By the ghost of a former enemy no less?   
  
"As I said, my intentions are not to harm you, pilot zero two."   
  
"That's an OZ designation... zero two."   
  
"An old habit, I apologize," Zechs said, nodding his head slightly. "You're Duo Maxwell, pilot of the Gundam Deathscythe."   
  
"That's right," Duo said, lifting his chin. "I see you've done your homework since I introduced myself last week." He set his fists to his hips and swallowed. If Zechs meant to kill him then he would at least face death like a man.   
  
"I admit, I did do some research. Your name did not immediately mean anything to me, but your demeanor and your recognition of me told me you must be one of those Gundam pilots."   
  
"So now you know," Duo said, defiantly.   
  
The boy's eyes slid away from his enemy for a moment, trying to plan his route of escape. He could make it to his motorcycle in just a couple of seconds, but the problem was whether Zechs had a gun hidden inside his coat. If he did, Duo would never make it.   
  
"The war is over," Zechs said, taking his gloved hands from his pockets and holding them up in the air to show he had no weapon. "I've long admired you Gundam pilots, but the war prevented me from knowing any of you."   
  
Duo exhaled the breath he had been unconsciously holding. "Well, you're not going to get to know one now," he said, perplexed by the strange admission. "In fact, the first chance I get I'm going to kill you!"

Zechs turned his face away, his hands dropping to his sides and clenching into fists. "You're right, Duo Maxwell. You should probably kill me." With that, he turned and slowly walked away, his head bowed in defeat.   
  
Duo stared, opened mouth, at the retreating form. As Zechs turned a corner and disappeared from sight, Duo shook his head as if waking from a dream. Had he really just come face to face with Zechs Merquise?   
  
The encounter gnawed at him as he went into the coffee shop, locking the door behind him. He went about the tasks of getting the shop ready for business, removing the pre-made cinnamon rolls from the refrigerator and placing them in the oven, brewing coffee, and making sure the spices and syrups were sufficiently stocked for all the specialty drinks. Two other employees soon arrived and helped with the preparations for the day, but all the while, Duo could not stop thinking about Zechs.   
  
If he had wanted to kill me, why didn't he? Duo wondered.   
  
He asked himself that same question dozens of times over the next couple of days, and each time the answer was unsatisfactory or uncomfortable. Could it be that Zechs Merquise truly had no intentions of killing him? That by some twist of fate the man had survived that terrible explosion and was now trying to quietly live out the remainder of his life in America?   
  
For all Duo knew, Zechs had since moved on. The boy had looked for him again, scanning the busy streets of the city and hanging about, hoping to lure Zechs out of hiding, but once again failing to find him. The only difference this time was that Duo was now prepared. He carried his handgun with him faithfully and secretly cloaked himself in his war persona, the God of Death.   
  
He considered contacting Quatre, allying with his friend once more to wipe out a common enemy, but something prevented him from making that call. Perhaps it was in consideration of not interrupting the work Quatre and Trowa were doing on L4, but more likely it was Duo's ego, telling him he could make the kill on his own. Whatever the reason, he chose to keep his discovery to himself.   
  
It felt good to have a purpose, to be on a mission again, and for the first time Duo understood the need that had taken Heero away from him. Of all the Gundam pilots, Heero had been the most focused. The lazy days following the cessation of war must have seemed pointless to Heero, as though his life had no direction, and yet he had so easily re-directed that infamous focus onto Duo. The boy with the long braid had never questioned the new intensity in their relationship. It seemed a logical evolution to what had begun during the war. And then all too quickly it was over.   
  
After going through shock and denial, and finally settling on anger, Duo added Heero to his mental list of loved ones lost.   
  
+  
  
Duo set his kickstand down as he parked his motorcycle on the sidewalk in front of Brentwood's rare bookstore. He had just completed his last delivery and was returning to the shop for his paycheck.   
  
"All done with the deliveries, Mr. Brentwood," Duo said, smiling as he entered the shop and spied his boss sitting behind the counter.   
  
The man looked up at the clock. "In record time," he said and then reached into a drawer for a small bundle of bills. He preferred paying Duo in cash and Duo never questioned the practice.   
  
He handed over the pay and then handed the boy an additional ten dollars. "A bonus."   
  
"What for?" Duo asked, surprised by the man's sudden generosity.   
  
"I'm in a good mood. My best customer is back. Looks like you didn't frighten him off after all."   
  
Duo's eyes widened and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. "Merquise?"   
  
The man nodded. "That's right. He's making a selection right now."   
  
Duo spun around and scanned the shop, but several bookshelves blocked his view. He leaned over the counter and looked at the view screen.   
  
"Don't get any funny ideas or I'll take that bonus back!" Brentwood warned.   
  
The boy was too intent on the image on the screen to respond. He noted that Zechs was browsing in the botanical section, and casually pushed off from the sales counter as he patted his jacket, checking for his gun.   
  
"Duo, I mean it. You leave that man alone!"   
  
"Don't worry," Duo said as he slipped down one of the aisles.   
  
His heart was beating fast and all his senses were on overdrive. It was like the war all over again, except this time he really needed to keep his head. He could not take out Zechs in the middle of Mr. Brentwood's store. The post war authorities would not understand.   
  
Duo turned into the aisle where Zechs was standing with a book in his hands. The man was wearing the same long black coat, but he no longer wore dark glasses, and his signature white-blond hair was loose and hanging down his back.   
  
"Why are you here?" Duo asked as their eyes met.   
  
"I have an ultimatum for you," Zechs replied, closing the book and replacing it on the shelf.   
  
"Like I care," Duo snorted. "I already told you that I'd kill you..."   
  
"We both could use the rest," Zechs interrupted smoothly.   
  
The remark surprised Duo. It was at once an admission of fatigue and a recognition of Duo's own condition.   
  
"All right," Duo said with a little nod.   
  
"The first part is the same as before. I want us to talk. I want to get to know a Gundam pilot."   
  
Duo shook his head, not understanding what was so damn important about getting to know one of them. "And the second part?" he prompted.   
  
"Then you can kill me... if you still want to."   
  
The boy gasped. "You'd let me kill you... just like that?"   
  
"Yes," Zechs said, his voice low, almost sultry. "Just like that."   
  
Duo tilted his head, not completely believing him. "Why?"   
  
"I've already told you," Zechs said with a grin. "I'm curious, and like you, I'm not afraid to die."   
  
Yes, death was certainly no stranger to Duo. It had been his companion on the battlefield and in his slumber. Death followed him like a shadow and yet he did not fear it, he had learned to command it as the God of Death. He knew very well what it was to live without a fear of death and to hear Zechs claim as much gave Duo an ounce of respect for the man.   
  
"Okay, I'll accept your proposal on one condition."   
  
"And that is?"   
  
"Tell me why you did it. Why did you destroy Barge and why did you try to destroy the Earth?"   
  
The boy's words were fierce and Zechs completely understood his curiosity. "I wish I had an easy answer for you, Duo Maxwell. It's something I have asked myself many times."   
  
Duo crossed his arms over his chest. "Then you must have a theory. And before I agree to your ultimatum, I wanna know."   
  
Zechs nodded. "I'll try, but can we at least go outside?"   
  
Duo looked over his shoulder, realizing Mr. Brentwood must be watching them on the monitor. At least he would not have heard their conversation.   
  
"Sure, come on," Duo said, nodding toward the front door, and indicating that Zechs should go first.   
  
The taller man did not hesitate. He knew the former Gundam pilot would not shoot him in the back.   
  
As they approached the sales counter, Zechs stopped to chat with the proprietor.   
  
"There are one or two books I may purchase, but I'll leave them until tomorrow," he said, optimistically, for truly he did not know if there would be a tomorrow for him.   
  
"Very good, Mr. Merquise. Have a good evening."   
  
"Thank you," Zechs said and exited the store.   
  
Duo was close behind, but Mr. Brentwood called to him. "Hey! What were you two talking about for so long?"   
  
"Uh... war memories."   
  
The man frowned. "Well, I guess it didn't do any harm."   
  
"No, sir," Duo said and gave the man a little wave as he went out the door.   
  
Zechs was waiting for him next to his motorcycle. "Fast?"   
  
"Oh, hell, yeah!" Duo said, excitedly. "If it wasn't for all the traffic around here I could really... Hey, wait a minute! You've got some explaining to do, remember?"   
  
The former OZ colonel and White Fang leader sighed. Yes, he had a lot of explaining to do.   
  
"You must find it ironic that I've come back to live on the Earth when it was my plan to destroy it, but the Earth is my home. I had never been to outer space before the war." Zechs turned and looked at the potted flowers set outside the shop's entrance and the leafy trees lining the street. "Had I succeeded this spring would have never come."   
  
Duo recalled the scientists' prediction. Had the Libra hit the Earth as Zechs had planned, it would have created an eternal winter. He shivered with the thought, though the evening was warm and humid.   
  
"That's it?" Duo asked, putting his hands on his hips. "You have no explanation for your actions?"   
  
"You're disappointed," Zechs noted, turning back to the young man.   
  
"You're damn right, I'm disappointed! No one could figure out why you were acting that way. Not your sister and not even Miss Noin. And now you're telling me that _you_ don't even know?"   
  
Zechs bowed his head. "I regret my choices..." he said, and then raised his eyes to Duo's. "I'm sorry, I cannot answer your question, and therefore cannot meet your condition." He turned and began to walk off down the street, his long hair swaying behind him.   
  
"Where are you going?" Duo asked, just as a thunderclap shattered the night air above them.   
  
"Our arrangement has come to an end," Zechs said, glancing over his shoulder as he continued on his way. "Good bye, Duo Maxwell."   
  
Duo watched for a moment, silent, and unsure of how to proceed. Part of him wanted to follow Zechs and kill him, but another part of him felt some sympathy for him.   
  
He's alone, Duo thought as the first drops of rain fell.   
  
He turned his face toward the sky, letting the large drops splash on his cheeks and lips. The air smelled of ozone, something Duo had never experienced on L2. He inhaled deeply, marveling at the uniqueness of spring on Earth. Some might sneer at the sharpness of the smell, but to Duo it was beautiful and alive, alive like all of them... the Earth, the Gundam pilots, and even Zechs.   
  
Duo looked down the street again in time to see Zechs turn a corner and disappear from sight. The street was unusually quiet this evening and now seemed to be telling him he had just lost a unique opportunity.   
  
What strange twist of fate had brought two survivors and two enemies of the war together on the streets of Boston? Zechs had made a simple request: to know a Gundam pilot on a level the war had never allowed. Was it such an odd request? After all, Zechs had fought against them... and lost. What would it hurt to spend a couple of hours talking, satisfying their curiosity and possibly learning something about each other? If he needed an excuse, Duo could justify his time with Zechs by evaluating whether the man was still a threat.   
  
What would it hurt to tell him a few things about myself? Duo wondered.   
  
He fished the keys for his bike out of his pocket and hopped on, replacing the kickstand and starting the engine. The rain was steady now, but not hard enough to make it dangerous to ride. In seconds he was turning the street corner and spotted Zechs by his distinct long white hair. He slowed the bike as he pulled alongside the sidewalk where Zechs was walking.   
  
"Hey, you still wanna talk?" Duo called out, blinking as raindrops landed on his eyelids.   
  
Zechs glanced at him through long bangs, but continued to walk. "I don't need your sympathy. A deal is a deal," he stated harshly.   
  
"Look," Duo said, getting off his bike and pushing it up onto the sidewalk and alongside Zechs as he walked. "You could've given me a line back there about how you were wrong and you're going to spend the rest of your life making up for what you did, but you didn't. Instead you said you didn't know why you did it. That wasn't what I wanted to hear, but that's damn honest, and I respect that."   
  
The man stopped and turned to him. "You respect my honesty?"   
  
"Sure, I do. You're not my favorite person in the world... in fact, you're probably my least favorite, but you didn't lie or try to manipulate me just to get your way."   
  
Zechs found the boy's directness refreshing. "Then you wouldn't mind talking?"   
  
"That's right. Besides, I didn't have any plans for tonight anyway," Duo said with a shrug.   
  
A flash of light followed by a quick crack of thunder made both men realize they should go indoors.   
  
"I don't live far from here...," Zechs offered, and then regretted it. "Or we could go somewhere neutral."   
  
"No, your place is fine," Duo said, feeling the reassuring weight of his handgun in his jacket pocket.   
  
He still did not trust Zechs. Hell, he would be a fool if he did, but damn it if this was not an interesting opportunity. So, in the continuing rain, Duo pushed his motorcycle along beside Zechs as they walked another block to a new apartment high rise.   
  
Duo left his bike in the parking garage and then took the elevator with Zechs to the top floor. Neither said a word and it was one of the most awkward moments of Duo's life. Though the ride was less than a minute long, Duo managed to glance at Zechs twice. He was a privileged and dangerously attractive man, but somewhere along the way had gone wrong. And after only hearing about Zechs second hand from Heero and Noin, and seeing his White Fang declarations broadcast to the populace, it seemed quite strange to Duo to be here now. Once again, he was glad of his gun.   
  
Stepping into the apartment, Zechs switched on only a couple of lights, leaving the large and newly decorated space in partial darkness. It was a deliberate attempt to make this evening less like an interrogation and more like a meeting of old friends.   
  
"Wow, I didn't know they made apartments this big," Duo said, chuckling nervously as he stepped into the large, open space.   
  
Zechs grinned. "It's more space than I need, but I liked the view." He nodded at the floor to ceiling windows.   
  
Duo followed his gaze and his eyes widened immediately. On this rainy night and from ten stories high the city sparkled in all its built glory.   
  
"I see what you mean," Duo said, stepping over to the windows and oddly finding himself reminded of L2. "Gee, I'd forgotten how small everything looks from up high."   
  
"It reminds you of being in your Gundam?"   
  
"Yeah," Duo said, looking over his shoulder at Zechs who was in the process of taking off his coat. Though his Gundam had been only half the height of this building it still reminded him of the different perspective it had provided.   
  
"Do you miss it?" Zechs asked, as he joined Duo at the window, noticing how the boy's braid shimmered with the remains of raindrops.   
  
"Oh, hell, yeah! Deathscythe and me were a team," he said, his gaze becoming less focused on the cityscape before him. "I'm a little lost without him."   
  
Zechs heard the sadness in Duo's voice and empathized. A good pilot became one with his mobile suit and cared for it as though it was an extension of himself. Obviously this was something they had in common.

"I felt that way about the Tallgeese," Zechs confessed and stepped a little closer to his guest. "It was the first time I felt challenged as a pilot."   
  
"Hmm," Duo responded with a little nod. He knew that Zechs had been a career military man, but he did not know what that was like. "How did it feel to take orders and give orders?" Duo asked as he turned to face the man fully.   
  
"Giving orders is far more satisfying," Zechs admitted with a small smile. "But when you believe in your superior and your cause it can be just as satisfying to take orders. To do your duty." He raised his chin and straightened his shoulders at that last statement.   
  
"You took orders from Treize?"   
  
"That's right, but our friendship and our association ended before I went to outer space. We had been very close, but in the last couple of years drifted apart. It was impossible to maintain what we had when things turned political. Politics and the military do not mix."   
  
Duo thought the words, but more so the tone in Zechs's voice seemed to imply that he and Treize had been more than friends. That however, was for another conversation, and another lifetime, since Duo was only going to be here a couple of hours.   
  
"I digress. It was not my intention to expound on my time with OZ."   
  
"Right, you wanna know about me."   
  
"Yes, I would. But first, may I offer you anything to drink? I could open a bottle of wine."   
  
"Wine, huh? Is it non-alcoholic?"   
  
"No, I'm afraid not. Would you care for some sparkling water instead?"   
  
"No, the wine would be great. Quatre never let us drink anything alcoholic at his place," Duo said, and then suddenly blushed. This was the first truly personal thing he had revealed about himself or any of the Gundam pilots and it seemed somehow wrong.   
  
Zechs found the blush totally disarming. He had never expected a former Gundam pilot to be so easily flustered. "I'll get the wine," he said, trying to give the impression that he had not noticed the rosy cheeks. "Please make yourself comfortable in the living room."   
  
Duo walked over to a grouping of furniture. The decor was all in creams and whites and looked very expensive. Several wide upholstered chairs and a deep, cushioned sofa were placed around a low glass table. On the table sat a crystal bowl with a white flower blossom floating in water, and behind the sofa on the wall hung a tapestry also in creams and whites. The neutral colors were soothing, but Duo suspected the precise arrangement of the furniture and simplicity of the decor spoke of a man who liked order and control in his life. Or wanted to get that control back.   
  
When Zechs returned with the opened bottle and two wine glasses, Duo had yet to choose a place to sit. Zechs grinned internally, realizing that the young man was being cautious. He poured the white wine and handed a glass to Duo.   
  
"Thanks," Duo said and held it up to his nose, but did not take a drink.   
  
Zechs sat down in one of the chairs and crossed his legs. "Please," he said, gesturing to all the choices.   
  
Duo finally sat down at the farthest end of the sofa. He felt out of place here among such finery. Even Zechs was dressed impeccably in a navy suit with a crisp white shirt. Duo was dressed as he always dressed--in black jeans, a plain white t-shirt, black jacket and boots. "So," he said, holding the glass in both hands, worried that he might drop it. "What would you like to know?"   
  
A smile curved Zechs's lips. "I'm not sure. When I said I wanted to get to know a Gundam pilot, I thought that meant I wanted to learn more about the Gundams and the pilots' battle techniques... but now I think I'd rather hear about Duo Maxwell."   
  
"Huh?" Duo asked, his eyes widening.   
  
"The Gundams were effective because of their pilots, and from what I've seen, you're all very different. I'd be doing us both a disservice to ask you to talk about battles and Gundam capabilities."   
  
"Okay, it's your party," Duo said, shrugging.   
  
Zechs took a sip of his wine and leaned back in his chair. "Tell me why you're here in Boston? I seem to recall you're not originally from Earth and I don't believe any of your former colleagues are in the vicinity."   
  
"You get right to the heart of things, don't you?" Duo asked, sighing.   
  
"Oh, have I stumbled onto something I shouldn't have?"   
  
"Nah, it doesn't matter," Duo said, realizing it would probably do him good to talk about it. "I'm here to be as far away from Heero as I possibly can... without having to go back to outer space."   
  
"You're talking about Heero Yuy, the pilot of zero one?"   
  
"You got it."   
  
"And why would the pilot of zero two, pardon me, Deathscythe, be running from the pilot of Wing?"   
  
"Let's just say things got a little complicated." The boy finally took a sip of his wine.   
  
"You were lovers," Zechs said, perceptively.   
  
"Right again," Duo said, this time taking a good swig of the wine. "Wow, that's good stuff."   
  
"Thank you," Zechs nodded, then narrowed his eyes on the young man. So, Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy had been lovers. This was far more interesting than he had expected. "Were you lovers during the war?" he persisted.   
  
"Yeah, that's when it started, but there wasn't a lot of time for that sort of thing. If you know what I mean?"   
  
"I fought Heero several times. He was the best pilot I had ever come up against. Quite a challenge."   
  
"Yeah, I'll say he's a challenge," Duo chuckled and took another big swallow of wine.   
  
Zechs was about to tell Duo to slow down on the wine, but he decided it was not his place.   
  
The wine tasted good and eased Duo's discomfort of being here with Zechs. He still did not know why Zechs wanted to talk to him, but he was finding that it really did not matter. It felt good sharing a little of what had happened between him and Heero. He had not spoken of it to anyone since that last day in Arabia.   
  
"Heero wanted to kill you, you know," Duo said, setting the glass down on the table.   
  
Zechs bowed his head, remembering his last battle. "He had his chance on Libra."   
  
"But he didn't kill you. So what happened?"   
  
"Didn't he tell you?" Zechs asked, looking up through his long bangs.   
  
Duo shook his head. "Nah, he didn't want to relive all that. He said the war was over and we should leave it in the past."   
  
"He's a wise man," Zechs said, sipping his wine. As he set the glass on the table he decided to open up more to Duo, that it felt good sitting here, talking to each other. "He told me Relena would be sad if he killed me. That's why he spared my life."   
  
"But Relena doesn't even know you're alive. No one knows..."   
  
"She thinks as everyone else does, that I died on the Libra, but at least she does not think that her friend killed me. Heero is too pure and too kind to burden my dear little sister in that way. Unlike me, he has a strong heart and has made the right decisions."   
  
Duo's brow knit as he listened to Zechs. Obviously fighting Heero had given Zechs an insight into the other boy. It made Duo uncomfortable to hear of Heero's connection with Relena once again and how that connection had kept the pilot of Wing Gundam from killing his enemy.   
  
He turned his face away.   
  
"What is it?" Zechs asked, concerned. "Did I say something to offend you?"   
  
The boy swallowed hard and clamped down on his unhappiness before looking back at Zechs. "You do have a way of getting to the heart of things," he said, repeating the statement from earlier and forcing a little grin.   
  
"Heero still has a connection to Relena," Zechs surmised, and then leaned forward adding, "You're still in love with him."   
  
Duo closed his eyes briefly and sighed. "Yeah, I'm cursed. It's been four months since it ended and I still feel the same."   
  
"Give it time. I know what it means to end a loving relationship. You never completely get over it, but it does get easier."   
  
The warm advice surprised Duo. "You know, you make a lot of sense for a guy who supposedly made all the wrong choices."   
  
Zechs chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."   
  
"Good, because I meant it as one," Duo said with a smile.   
  
For the next couple of hours, the two young men spoke of anything but lost lovers. Duo told of his growing up on L2, of living on the streets and then his time at the Maxwell Orphanage. He was honest and open about the tragedies he had witnessed and in turn Zechs shared something of himself, telling of how his parents were murdered by the Alliance.   
  
It was close to midnight when Duo first started to yawn. "I guess I'd better be going," he said, standing and stretching his arms over his head. "I've got deliveries to make for Mr. Brentwood in the morning."   
  
A flash of light from outside turned their attention toward the window. They had been so engrossed with their conversation, and finishing off the bottle of wine, that they had forgotten about the storm outside. And by now, it truly was a storm.   
  
"It's not safe for you to drive home," Zechs said as he stood. "You can stay here the night."   
  
Duo looked with wide eyes at the tall man. "Oh, I couldn't do that."   
  
"As you can see I have room to spare. You may sleep on the sofa."   
  
The boy looked down at the couch. It was quite large and comfortable, and Zechs was right, he should not ride his motorcycle home in a downpour. "Okay, why not?" Duo asked with a shrug.   
  
"Good. I'll get you a pillow and a blanket. I won't be a moment."   
  
Zechs cleared away their glasses and the empty wine bottle and was gone less than a minute. When he returned he set the pillow and blanket on the sofa.   
  
"The bathroom is down the hall on the left," he said, pointing in the direction from which he had come. "What time do you need to be up?"   
  
"Oh, I'm sure I'll be out of here before you're awake," Duo said, laughing, and hoping to God he would not have to face Zechs in the morning. Just staying here the night was awkward enough.   
  
"That's fine," Zechs said with a little grin. He turned to leave, but then stopped and looked back at Duo. "Thank you. It was good talking."   
  
"Yeah, I thought it was all right, too," Duo agreed.   
  
"Good night, Duo Maxwell."   
  
"Yeah, good night."   
  
Duo waited until Zechs had retreated down the hall to his room before padding off to the bathroom to relieve himself. He then returned to the living room, switched off the lights, and took off his boots, jeans and jacket, and piled them on the floor next to the sofa. He removed his gun from his coat pocket and tucked it under the pillow, and then plopped down on the sofa with the blanket over him.   
  
A couple of hours later, Zechs emerged from his room. He could not sleep. His conversation with Duo had his mind racing with memories of the war. Frustrated with lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, he got up and put on his silk robe and slipped quietly into the kitchen for something to drink.   
  
As he stood in the middle of the dark room, drinking a mixture of pineapple juice and sparkling water, he reflected on his evening with the former Gundam pilot. Despite Duo's initial nervousness that the wine seemed to alleviate, the evening had been a success. But Zechs now regretted they had not made plans to further their acquaintance. That fact stung all the more when he got the notion to look in on his little guest before returning to his bedroom.   
  
To his wonderment, Zechs found Duo sprawled on the couch sound asleep. The boy was the picture of sweet innocence. His long, chestnut braid trailed behind him and onto the floor. He lay curled on his side, blatantly displaying a lovely, round little ass in bikini underwear.   
  
Zechs swallowed at the sight. Duo Maxwell was quite the beauty, but this was not the first he had noticed it. That evening as they had talked, Zechs had found himself transfixed by the boy's animated personality and large, blue eyes. His diminutive guest's good looks had more than once distracted him from their conversation. And now, to find that Duo had kicked the blanket down to his feet, exposing his bare legs to the coolness of the room, Zechs felt the urge to touch him. His fingers twitched at his side as he imagined pulling the blanket up over Duo and in the process brushing the length of those slender legs with his hands.   
  
The surge of desire surprised Zechs, and when Duo's leg twitched, it sent the man quickly from the room. He should not have intruded on the boy's privacy.   
  
+  
  
The next day at the coffee shop, Duo reflected on his evening with Zechs. Had he really shared a bottle of wine with Zechs Merquise, his former enemy and the man Heero had sworn to kill? It all seemed a bit surreal now as he blended another specialty drink for a waiting customer.   
  
The machine was acting up again, but that was no surprise. It was the middle of their late afternoon rush and the damn thing never faltered unless there was a line half way out the door. Duo banged its side and it sputtered to full power again. When things slowed down, he would take it apart.   
  
"You're not gonna believe this," Rikk whispered into his ear, giving him a nudge.   
  
"What?" Duo asked, his mind on getting the drink made.   
  
"The Ice Man cometh..."   
  
That got Duo's attention. He twisted around nearly spilling the drink, to see Zechs standing at the end of the line.   
  
"Damn, he looks good today," Rikk said, admiring the long fall of platinum hair and the silvery gray suit he wore.   
  
"Yeah," Duo said, and nodded to Zechs as he looked his way.   
  
For some reason, seeing Zechs again made Duo's heart beat a little faster. Duo guessed that it was because the man still made him nervous and that he still could not trust him. Their conversation had been pleasant enough, but Duo had not expected to see Zechs again... ever.   
  
When it was Zechs's turn at the counter, he leaned over and smiled at Duo. "You were gone this morning when I got up," he said.   
  
Duo's co-workers all stopped what they were doing and stared with wide eyes and perked ears.   
  
"I slept on the couch," Duo said, rolling his eyes at their filthy minds.   
  
Rikk and a couple of the girls chuckled and then busied themselves with their orders once again.   
  
"Black coffee?" Duo asked Zechs, impatiently.   
  
"Hmm, I seem to recall that you are quite good at guessing people's drinks."   
  
"And yours is black coffee," Duo said, flatly.   
  
Zechs noticed the boy's change in attitude, but did not let it stop him. "I'd like you to fix me something special," Zechs said, his voice dropping into a sultry range.   
  
Duo swallowed. Was Zechs hitting on him or just being playful now that they were better acquainted?   
  
"Sure. Have a seat and I'll bring it to you," he said, and turned away from the counter.   
  
Duo poured some coffee into a metal container and then proceeded to add his special touches. At the blender, he kept his head down watching the progress of the foam, but now and again looked up through his heavy bangs. Zechs was seated facing the counter. Duo ducked his head again. He could not understand why the man was here. Of course, he had every right to be here, but Duo had assumed that once they had talked that would be it, they would stay out of each other's way.   
  
Rikk grabbed him by the waistband as they switched places at the blender. "You didn't tell me you shagged ol' blondie."   
  
"I haven't shagged anyone," Duo said, his tone edged with embarrassment and anger.   
  
"Then what's up? I doubt the Ice Man took you up to his place just to talk."   
  
Duo was mortified. "Of course that's all we did. We know each other from... before. We were just catching up on things."   
  
He poured the blended coffee into a serving mug and shot Rikk one last glare before he stepped from behind the counter.   
  
Zechs smiled as Duo handed him the drink. "Thank you," he said, taking a sip. "Mmm, it's smooth... I like the mixture of cream and spices."   
  
"Look, I don't know why you're here."   
  
The accusatory words stopped Zechs from taking another taste. He set down his mug on the small table next to him. "You mean you don't want me here."   
  
The boy's eyes slid away. "I thought last night would be it."   
  
Zechs looked up, studying the discomfort in the boy's posture and face. "Do you think you've betrayed your friends, because you had a pleasant conversation with the former leader of the White Fang?"   
  
Zechs's voice was sharp and very much reminiscent of the tone he had used during war, but this time Duo thought he heard it laced with hurt.   
  
"It's not my friends I'm worried about," he admitted and turned away.   
  
"Then what are you worried about?"   
  
Duo did not respond, could not respond. That question cut too close to something he did not care to explore. He returned to his work behind the counter and Zechs remained only a moment longer. Once the man was gone, Duo could breathe again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Artemis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

It seemed that Duo had finally rid himself of Zechs Merquise and the ghosts of war the man brought with him. Although one ghost remained--Heero Yuy had once again slipped into Duo's dreams. The boy found himself aching for his former lover all over again and was angry at himself for having such vivid sexual dreams about Heero.   
  
One dream was particularly disconcerting in its similarity to an actual encounter they had shared on a transport shuttle. They were ten minutes from rendezvousing with Quatre, and to Duo's surprise, Heero decided they should make love. Of course, Duo could never refuse Heero, and proceeded to let him fuck him over the ship's control panel. They both climaxed with less than a minute remaining before docking with Quatre's ship.   
  
Moments like that had made Duo love Heero all the more, but dreaming about that day again was a curse. It brought Duo's sexuality back to the surface and masturbation was a poor substitute for the "fuck me" kind of sex he needed.   
  
Days passed and Duo's frustration grew until finally one evening he decided to order a pizza, but not just any pizza, the pizza with the cute blond delivery boy with the long eyelashes. He even asked the girl taking the phone order if Sasha was working that night.   
  
"Yes," the girl had assured him with a giggle.   
  
And so, Duo had put on a pair of blue jeans and a tight blue sleeveless t-shirt in anticipation of the seduction he had planned. He saw it clearly. Sasha would arrive with the pizza, innocently enough, and Duo would ask him inside while he got the money to pay him. Then he would start up a conversation and well, the rest he had fantasized about in the shower just an hour before. It hurt to not have the object of his desire be Heero, but there was no sense in holding on to the false hope that Heero even thought of him anymore.   
  
When the door buzzer sounded at ten o'clock, Duo did not think twice about buzzing in the pretty little delivery boy. Seconds later, there was a knock at the door.   
  
Duo made himself wait a few seconds before opening the door. "Hi there," he said with a bright smile, but the smile quickly faded when he saw that he had not let in Sasha, but the ghost of Christmas past, Zechs Merquise.   
  
"How did you get in here?" Duo asked as his brow tightened.   
  
"You let me in," Zechs said, with a hint of a smile on his lips.   
  
"I mean, how did you find out where I live?"   
  
Zechs frowned at Duo's defensiveness. "I was at the rare bookstore making a purchase and...."   
  
"Well, you can't stay," Duo interrupted. He could not believe this was happening. Sasha would be arriving any moment and Zechs's presence would blow any chance he had of getting laid tonight.   
  
"I realize you didn't invite me here..." Zechs began, but just then the buzzer sounded again.   
  
Duo sighed, and pressed the speaker button. "Yes?"   
  
"It's Sasha from Pizza Plus!"   
  
Duo glanced at Zechs and then said, "Come on up." He held the release button for the security door.   
  
"Sasha, hmm?" Zechs asked, raising an eyebrow. Now Duo's unfriendliness made perfect sense. "You have plans. I'm sorry, I'll leave..."   
  
Duo watched as Zechs turned away, but instead of being relieved, he felt a tightness in his belly. He did not know why, but turning Zechs away didn't seem right.   
  
"What is it you wanted?" he asked, poking his head into the hallway and noticing Zechs's casual attire. For the first time he was not wearing a suit, but was dressed in a white linen shirt and tan cotton pants and loafers.   
  
The man stopped on the landing. "I wanted to talk about the other day," he said, looking back over his shoulder.   
  
"You mean at the coffee shop?" Duo asked, knowing damn well they had parted badly that day, too.   
  
Before Zechs could reply Sasha came bounding up the stairs. The little blond slowed as he reached the landing, looking between the two men. "I've got your pizza," he said to Duo, smiling.   
  
Duo smiled back, but it felt forced. His whole scenario was blown. He could never ask Sasha inside the apartment now.   
  
"Yeah, just a sec," he said, and went back in to retrieve the money from the kitchen counter.   
  
When he returned, Zechs was gone, and Sasha was smiling even brighter.   
  
"I thought maybe that guy was your boyfriend," the delivery boy said.   
  
"Here," Duo said, shoving the money into the boy's hand, and pushing passed to rush down the stairs.   
  
"Krista said you asked for me. Don't you want to see me?" Sasha called after him.   
  
"Just leave the pizza by the door," Duo shouted back.   
  
In seconds, he burst onto the street, bare feet and all. "Zechs! Wait!"   
  
The man was half way down the block already, his long hair fluttering behind him.   
  
"Zechs, please!" Duo called again as he raced to catch up with him.   
  
At last Zechs's stride slowed and then stopped. He turned to Duo, but his expression was hard. "I suppose you want to tell me that I ruined your evening with Sasha."   
  
Beneath the hard facade, Duo caught a glimmer of hurt in Zechs's eyes. Was it jealousy? "I sort of had designs on him, yeah, but I shouldn't have treated you like that. You've never done anything to hurt me."   
  
Zechs raised his brow. "It's true I would never harm you intentionally, Duo, but I shouldn't have shown up here unannounced."   
  
"Forget about it," Duo said, waving his hand. "You said you wanted to talk. How about now? I do my best talking over pepperoni pizza."   
  
Zechs smiled. "I've never had American pizza before."   
  
"No way! Well, then this will be a treat. Pizza Plus has more going for it than a cute delivery boy," Duo said, snickering.   
  
Happy to see Duo's good humor returned, Zechs chuckled, too.   
  
On the short walk back to Duo's apartment building, he caught a glimpse of Sasha driving away. He sighed, now knowing Sasha would have welcomed his advances. So why had he let an opportunity for sex pass him by just to share a pizza and some conversation with Zechs? He cringed as the answer bubbled up into his consciousness. He was beginning to feel something for Zechs, but whether it was simply the comfort of having a connection to someone from his past or something more he could not yet say.   
  
Back in his apartment, Duo placed the pizza on the low table in front of the couch and gestured for Zechs to sit down. "Can I get you a soda? Or water? That's all I've got," he said, as he stood in the doorway to the kitchen.   
  
"Whatever you're having is fine," Zechs grinned as he sat down.   
  
As the braid disappeared into the other room, Zechs let his eyes drift around the tiny apartment. It was clean, but cluttered with piles of laundry and magazines, the furniture looked worn and aged, and the only decoration was a poster of a men's swim team tacked up on the wall across the room.   
  
Zechs guessed that Duo did not have much money. It seemed a waste for him to be living this way when he was such a bright young man, and as a former Gundam pilot had risked his life fighting for freedom. Those thoughts were interrupted when Duo returned with their drinks.   
  
"Hey, you haven't dug in," Duo said as he set the colas on the table.   
  
"Was I supposed to?"   
  
"Yeah, sure. Eating pizza is a casual thing."   
  
The boy settled on the couch one cushion over from Zechs and opened the lid on the pizza box. He took a slice of the pepperoni and cheese covered pie. "Dig in," he encouraged as he took a bite.   
  
"Were you going to eat this all by yourself?" Zechs asked as he took a corner piece.   
  
"Not all at once," Duo chuckled. "I like leftovers, and cold pizza is great for breakfast."   
  
Zechs ate his slice and was surprised that he liked the taste. As Duo took a long swig of his drink and then another bite of pizza, Zechs decided it was time to talk.   
  
"You were unhappy when I visited you at the coffee shop the other day."   
  
Duo's chewing slowed and then he swallowed. "I didn't expect to see you again."   
  
"I think it was more than that. Something was bothering you."   
  
There was a moment's hesitation as Duo wondered how to respond. He had been "bothered" by Zechs's presence, but the root of that feeling was not something he was comfortable exploring.   
  
"You made me nervous," he said at last, and reached for his drink, but Zechs grasped his hand.   
  
"Are you nervous now?" Zechs asked.   
  
Duo gasped at the contact. His first instinct was to pull away, but something held him in place. He did not want to admit it but he liked Zechs touching him. He raised his eyes to find ice blue eyes staring back at him and very nearly penetrating into his soul.   
  
"Yeah, I think I am nervous," he admitted, swallowing hard.   
  
The man smiled and squeezed the smaller hand in his. "We could be a comfort to one another."   
  
"A comfort?" Duo asked, surprised. Why was he suddenly feeling dizzy?   
  
"Yes, a comfort, Duo," Zechs repeated, leaning closer. "I have a feeling your nervousness is the same as mine."   
  
"You're nervous, too?" the boy asked, finding this conversation terribly confusing.   
  
"Of course. I've been anxious to speak with you. I haven't been able to get you out of my mind since the other night."   
  
"W-what happened the other night?" Duo stammered as he leaned back to put some distance between them.   
  
"I got to know you, Duo. Spending time with you is very intoxicating..."   
  
"Whoa, you mean you're attracted to me?"   
  
Zechs's grin turned predatory. "Yes, I'm very attracted to you." He inched closer, backing Duo into the corner of the couch. "You're quite the beauty."   
  
"Hey, wait a minute!" Duo shouted, squirming in his seat. "I-I don't know about this." His heart was pounding hard, and Zechs's proximity was making the temperature in the room rise quickly.   
  
"I understand your reticence. You still have feelings for Heero, but it's been a long time hasn't it, Duo? Is that why you wanted that boy tonight, to relieve the tension? Believe me, he could never please you the way I can."   
  
If this is a seduction, he's doing a damn good job, Duo thought, feeling his face flush.   
  
The man seemed to be closing in on him and not just physically, but with his words. He was very clever, but Duo sensed he was also sincere. Somehow Zechs had become attracted to him and now was circling ever closer like a hawk watching his prey from high above.   
  
"But you're Zechs Merquise!" he blurted out.   
  
Zechs straightened, retreating from his advance momentarily. "Forget about the war," he said harshly. "I am here as a man and not as a soldier."   
  
"But it's not right," Duo insisted as his mind still tried to grasp the notion of Zechs wanting him.   
  
"Not right because you can't forget our roles in the war? Or because your friends wouldn't approve?" Zechs asked, his brow tightening.   
  
Duo shrugged. "You have to admit this is kind of strange. We were enemies..."   
  
"'Were' is the key here. Or do you still consider me your enemy?"   
  
The question was legitimate. Duo examined the man before him. Zechs was beautiful, the kind of beautiful that was dreamt or perhaps created by an artist's brush. He knew this man's past well, had witnessed some of his worst atrocities and yet still could see the beauty. And in those clear, blue eyes, Duo saw once again the loneliness that seemed to plague Zechs. This was a vulnerable man and for all his efforts at control he was struggling to survive. It was this weakness that touched Duo's heart.   
  
"No, Zechs," Duo said, softly. "You're not my enemy anymore."   
  
The relief was visible as Zechs's shoulders relaxed. "Thank you," he said, bowing his head.   
  
Duo grinned. "I learned a lot the other night, too."   
  
"You did?" Zechs asked, looking up again.   
  
"Sure. I kept thinking it was an historic event or something," he said, chuckling. "Even though there was never a truce in the war, I think we made one the other night."   
  
"Yes, a truce," Zechs said, suddenly feeling his desire and his courage swell within him again.   
  
He surged forward, his hands cupping Duo's face, and kissed the boy... hard. It lasted only a moment, but when Zechs drew back he saw he had hit his mark. Duo had been too stunned by the advance to repel him, but he was sure the boy enjoyed it--his breathing was fast and his cheeks were flushed a deep pink.   
  
They stared at one another not saying a word, and then emboldened by his success, Zechs leaned in again, this time brushing his lips over Duo's and then across the soft cheek to his ear.   
  
"Tell me you want me, or tell me to stop," he whispered in velvet tones as his hands moved up Duo's thighs.   
  
Duo held his breath. Was this really happening? His body certainly thought so, the way it was warming and rising to the occasion, but his mind was having a difficult time catching up.   
  
"Duo..." Zechs said softly, kissing the ear and then dipping his tongue inside. "This will only happen if you want it to."   
  
"Yeah," Duo heard himself saying. "I want it."   
  
He wanted it all, to be carried away by desire, to know passion again, to set aside his lonely life for a few hours in another's arms. If this beautiful and enigmatic man could give him that, then he would ride that wave with Zechs.   
  
"Mmm," Zechs moaned as he nibbled around Duo's ear and jawline. He had read the boy correctly, and set to work pleasuring him. His hands rubbed up and down Duo's thighs and then slipped between his legs to find a lovely, willing hardness there. "Oh, yes, you do want this."   
  
Duo leaned back against the couch, his breathing shallow and fast, and his eyes flickering closed as he gave himself over. It had been so long since he had been touched this way that it was a little dreamlike. But Zechs kept him in the moment as he found Duo's lips again and kissed him deeply.   
  
"I knew your kisses would be sweet," Zechs said, pulling back to look into those incredibly large blue eyes.   
  
"Yours aren't half bad either," Duo said, cautiously, secretly fearing the events he had just set in motion.   
  
His stomach fluttered with nervous excitement as Zechs smiled at him devilishly and then dove in for another kiss. Duo tentatively slipped his arms around the man's waist, drawing him closer. He liked these kisses more than he cared to admit, and when Zechs's tongue pressed for entrance, he opened his mouth, accepting the exploration.   
  
While he tasted of Duo deeply, Zechs palmed Duo's hardness, making the boy moan into his mouth. "That's it," he said, pleased with the needy sound. He rubbed the slender hardness, feeling its heat even through the jeans. "Now to free you," he said, and with both hands worked to open Duo's jeans.   
  
Peeling back the front of the jeans, Zechs grinned as he saw red underwear. Though Duo wore mostly black, it seemed his taste in underclothes was more colorful. And Zechs definitely liked red.   
  
He tugged on the jeans to pull them off, but Duo tensed and placed his hands over Zechs's.   
  
"Wait," Duo gasped. His face was flushed, and though his body was giving all the signals that he wanted this, something was holding him back.   
  
"Am I going too fast?" Zechs asked, carefully. He did not want to stop, but he was willing to change the pace.   
  
"Maybe," Duo said, his eyes round, almost innocent.   
  
"I won't hurt you, Duo," Zechs reassured, lifting a hand to Duo's face and caressing his cheek. He looked deep into the boy's eyes and smiled. "It's our first time together. It's all right to be nervous."   
  
Emotionally, Zechs had the upper hand. He did not have the baggage of a recent failed love affair, and he had been honest with himself about his growing attraction to Duo. Duo, on the other hand, had not dealt with his feelings at all. Every time warm feelings of Zechs began to surface he stamped them down, frightened by the implications. But now Zechs had forced his hand and Duo could see that his perception of the former OZ pilot had changed a great deal in the last few days. Even so, it would take time for Duo to completely separate the man he wanted from the soldier he feared.   
  
"Duo?"   
  
The boy looked up. "Oh, I was just thinking."   
  
"Obviously," Zechs said with a chuckle. "Is there anything you'd like to share with me?"   
  
"Not really. Everything's pretty much a jumble right now."   
  
Zechs took his hand from Duo's face and sat back. "You want me to stop."   
  
"No," Duo said quickly. "I didn't mean for you to think that... it's just that so much has changed in the last few days, and now things are really about to change."   
  
"Is that good or bad?"   
  
"It's good... I think. It's just gonna take a little getting used to," Duo said, squirming with need.   
  
"I see."   
  
Duo searched Zechs's eyes. The hurt had returned. "No, you don't... you can't see, because I'm just beginning to see," he said and smiled. "I've done a lot of running in my life. I try to fix things, but sometimes I can't, or I get scared and then I go somewhere else, trying to leave my problems behind. If you hadn't come here tonight and told me how you feel, I would've kept running from you, too."   
  
"You were running from me?"   
  
"Yeah, well not literally. I think I knew the other night I was attracted to you, but I couldn't admit it, so I was hoping you'd just go away. Then I wouldn't have to deal with it."   
  
Zechs nodded. "Then it's good that I came here tonight?"   
  
"Yeah," Duo said simply and grinned.

Slowly, Zechs let his hand drift from Duo's knee up his thigh, and then leaned forward to kiss him. Just as their lips were about to meet he asked, "This is what you want?"   
  
Duo answered in deed rather than word. He grasped Zechs by the shoulders and pulled him to him, kissing him hard. Zechs responded by wrapping his arms around the lithe body and kissing the boy thoroughly, their tongues challenging one another.   
  
This time, when Zechs moved his hands down to pull off the jeans, Duo helped him. He wriggled out of the snug jeans and felt a bit breathless as they were tossed aside. Zechs looked down at him, his crystal eyes raking over the slender body and settling on the hardness within the red bikini underwear.   
  
"You are such a tease," Zechs said, seductively, and pulled the elastic back on the underwear and dipped his hand inside.   
  
The moment he touched Duo's erection with his bare hand the boy cried out with need, thrusting into his grasp. Nothing compared to being touched by another. No matter how many times Duo masturbated it never reached this level of pleasure.   
  
Zechs worked the hardened sex, but not for long, he had enough experience to know that this boy was wound tightly. He released the organ and then pushed Duo's t-shirt up and off. The long braid fell onto the boy's chest, drawing attention to his already hardened nipples. This was a little wanton creature, Zechs realized, making his own cock ache with anticipation.   
  
When Zechs pulled away to stand and begin removing his own clothes, Duo watched with fascination. The man was lean and tall, and as he stripped, he slowly unveiled a very fit body. The unbuttoned linen shirt slid from his shoulders and onto the floor, revealing a broad, muscled chest and well-developed arms. Duo swallowed, feeling his mouth grow dry.   
  
The admiration was obvious in Duo's eyes, and Zechs bent over to kiss him on the forehead. With the man so close, Duo put his hands behind Zechs's thighs and pulled him between his legs. He then leaned forward and nuzzled the needy erection.   
  
"Yes," Zechs moaned, and ran his fingers through Duo's bangs. He watched with increasing hunger as Duo rubbed his face over the bulge and then closed his lips around it. Unable to control himself any longer, Zechs growled and gently pushed Duo away. "I have to have you... now," he said, the words laced with a deep need.   
  
Duo recognized his urgency, and jumped from the couch, running into the bathroom. When he returned, Zechs was completely naked and standing before him with a powerful erection. Duo squeezed the tube of lubricant in his hand as he appraised the length and breadth of Zechs's cock nestled in white-blond hair.   
  
"Wow," he said, before he could stop himself.   
  
Zechs grinned ferally. "It's all yours."   
  
"Yeah, but will it all fit?" Duo asked, laughing, and only half-joking.   
  
"I have great faith in your... abilities," Zechs said, holding out his hand to take the lube and then drew Duo into his arms for a long kiss.   
  
He cupped one cheek of that firm little bottom with his free hand and then dipped his hand inside the underwear to slide a finger along the boy's crack. To his delight, Duo wriggled in his embrace. Oh, yes, Duo Maxwell would be a very responsive lover.   
  
They remained entangled and kissing a moment longer and then Duo pulled away and turned around, kneeling on the couch with his backside to Zechs. He definitely knew the routine and for that Zechs was grateful, because his own need was being wound tighter by the minute.   
  
Zechs caressed Duo's ass and then smiled, remembering how he had ached to touch him the other night when this same little bikini clad rump had been on display on his sofa. Though Duo was not aware of it, that voyeuristic moment had been the one to break Zechs's resistance. From that moment on the boy with the braid had dominated the blond man's thoughts. Now, as he admired how Duo looked in the tiny red underwear, he decided to leave them on as long as possible. They accentuated his slender hips and curved bottom so deliciously.   
  
He covered a finger in lubricant and then slipped it along Duo's crack once more. "I'll be careful," he said, and meant it. He was certain the last time Duo had had sex was four months ago with Heero Yuy.   
  
Duo nodded and spread his legs to give the man better access. He could barely contain himself, his need was so strong.   
  
Zechs's finger rubbed at the opening. The first touch, though light, made Duo jump. He wanted this, needed this badly, but as Zechs had said, this was their first time together and with that came a bit of nervousness. The finger rubbed again and then slipped inside easily.   
  
"Oh... yeah," Duo said, looking back over his shoulder.   
  
Zechs petted the boy's back with his other hand as he withdrew a little and then pushed back in. Just fingering Duo was making Zechs's entire body sizzle. He could hardly wait to plunge his cock inside that tight hole.   
  
He did not wait long to add a second finger and then a third. And then they both were breathing so hard and moaning so much that they needed to rush to the real fucking before they spontaneously combusted.   
  
Zechs withdrew his fingers and then slid Duo's underwear off. He wanted a full view now. He slicked his cock with lubricant and bent over and kissed Duo's shoulders, nudging the boy's crack with his hard length as he stood behind him. Duo moaned and pushed back on him.   
  
"In me," Duo said with a demanding need.   
  
No more foreplay, this was it. Zechs pressed the head of his cock to Duo's opening and slid inside... just a couple of inches. His hands were on Duo's hips, stilling the boy, keeping him from rushing this and hurting himself.   
  
"More," Duo demanded, desperate to take that gorgeous length inside him.   
  
Zechs groaned and obliged. He pushed in another few inches and then slowly withdrew, and pushed back in. The boy was taking five inches easily, and even Zechs's considerable girth was not a discomfort.   
  
I knew he could take me, Zechs thought, now even more eager to fill Duo completely.   
  
"How much more?" Duo asked, seeming to hear Zechs's thoughts.   
  
"We're half way," Zechs answered with great satisfaction.   
  
The man started a rhythm of thrusting and with each push, he went in a little further. He looked down, his long hair falling forward as he continued to thrust into that beautiful ass. He was three-quarters home now.   
  
"I wish you could see me fucking you, Duo," he said, still intent on watching his cock disappear inside Duo's bottom.   
  
"Yeah, give me more," Duo said, rocking back into the thrusts. God, how he had missed sex, how he had missed having a cock up his ass, stroking him inside, filling him completely. "Oh, yeah, Heero, give me more... deeper... I need it all!"   
  
Hearing Duo call out to his former lover stunned Zechs momentarily. His thrusting faltered, but did not stop. The error stabbed at him, but he was determined to do everything in his power to make Duo Maxwell forget Heero Yuy. Duo was with _him_ now and Zechs was not about to let a former enemy get the credit for this fuck.   
  
As eagerly as Duo rode his cock, sliding back and forth over it, Zechs was still not completely sheathed inside him. They had two inches to go, and Zechs wanted more than ever for Duo to feel the full effect of his cock inside him.   
  
"Come on, just a little more," he encouraged, and placed his hands firmly on the slender hips.   
  
"Give it to me," Duo said, arching his back and giving Zechs even better access.   
  
With that declaration and bodily concession, Zechs shoved himself hard inside, making Duo cry out in a mix of shock and pleasure.   
  
The boy's rhythm slowed to adjust to the new sensation. "So deep," Duo said. "It feels good."   
  
"Yes," Zechs hissed. It did feel good to be fucking deeply, to have his cock sheathed completely in that round little ass, to be slapping his balls against that pale, tight bottom. "Yes, take it all," he said, his arousal peaking.   
  
"Ah," Duo moaned loudly, his head tilting back as his body rocked with the pounding to his ass. "Oh, God, it's good..."   
  
Zechs latched on to the boy's open mouth and kissed him roughly as they fucked. They moaned into each other's mouths, tongues twining, as their orgasms built. With each thrust the moans and the pleasure grew louder and more intense, until Duo came. He pulled away from Zechs's mouth and cried out with complete abandon.   
  
The tensing and clenching of Duo's body sent Zechs immediately into his own orgasm. He bit down on Duo's shoulder as he spurt his seed deep within the compact body. His thrusts continued a minute longer, though languid, as they moaned more quietly from exhaustion and satiation. Then they fell onto the couch, side by side, breathing heavy and sweat slicked.   
  
"That was... fucking... fantastic," Duo said, swallowing between panting breaths.   
  
In fact, it was exactly what the doctor had ordered. Though, had the patient known the cure would be Zechs Merquise, he might not have answered the door tonight.   
  
"Mmm, you were fantastic," Zechs said, kissing the mark he had left on Duo's shoulder.   
  
Just then they heard a loud pounding on the apartment door. "Duo! Are you all right? I heard yelling."   
  
"Oh, no, it's my landlady," Duo said, mortified.   
  
"She heard all that?" Zechs asked, more amused than embarrassed. He liked the idea of witnesses to his conquest.   
  
"Sure sounds like it," Duo said and then louder, "I'm okay, Mrs. Langtry."   
  
"Are you sure? Who was that blond man with you tonight?"   
  
Duo knew the woman would not be satisfied until he opened the door. He slowly separated himself from Zechs, groaning unhappily at the loss of contact so soon after their climax.   
  
"Just a sec," he called out as he searched for his clothes. Quickly, and with more energy than he thought he had, he pulled on his jeans and shirt. He opened the door just a few inches, Zechs was still lying naked on the couch.   
  
"There you are," the prematurely gray haired woman said with some dissatisfaction. "It sounded like that man was hurting you. Are you sure you're all right?"   
  
Duo blushed. "I'm fine, Mrs. Langtry. Sorry about the noise." There was no way he was going to explain any further.   
  
The woman looked him up and down and then narrowed her eyes. "You tell that man if he hurts you I've got friends at the police department."   
  
"He's not going to hurt me, Mrs. Langtry, but I'll be sure to tell him," Duo said, snickering. Gee, I had no idea she cared, Duo thought.   
  
"All right then," she said, happy to have said her piece. "Good night, Duo."   
  
"Good night, Mrs. Langtry."   
  
He closed the door and chuckled. "Damn, if she heard all that and didn't know what we were doing..."   
  
"She must be a very lonely woman," Zechs finished.   
  
Duo turned to his lover and caught his breath. The man was stretched the length of the couch, posed like a pin-up from a dirty magazine. One knee was raised, an arm rested on the back of the couch, and his long blond hair seemed everywhere. For having climaxed just moments before, Duo's groin stirred with considerable interest.   
  
"You got plans tonight?" he asked, gaping openly as Zechs drew his hand lazily across his flat stomach.   
  
"As a matter of fact, I do," Zechs said, shaking his head so that his silken hair fluttered and then re-settled.   
  
"Oh," Duo said, disappointedly.   
  
Zechs grinned mischievously. "I'm going to be fucking you all night."   
  
"Oh!" Duo said, his eyes brightening. "In that case, would you care to take this into the bedroom?"   
  
"I'll give it to you wherever and however you want it."   
  
Duo gulped. Oh, yes, he had definitely set the wheels in motion.   
  
+  
  
The buzz of the alarm clock jolted Duo from his sleep. He slammed his hand down on the annoying sound and then stretched, re-settling his body around his pillow. The movement made him aware of his considerable erection as it rubbed against the mattress. Duo loved being horny in the morning, especially when he knew it could be satisfied, and so he rolled over to find... he was alone.   
  
Now he remembered. At some point in the early morning hours, Zechs had left, whispering words that Duo could no longer remember. He had briefly opened his eyes to see the man standing half dressed before him and then fell back to sleep.   
  
Frustrated, Duo curled his hand around his cock, lazily stroking it as he drifted between sleep and wakefulness. The other pillow was still indented from where Zechs had laid his head, and that simple reminder of the man was enough to put him in Duo's mind as he pleasured himself. The previous night's activities came back to him. He had let Zechs stay and they had "comforted" one another. Well, Zechs called it comforting, Duo called it fucking, and this morning the delicious soreness in his lower extremities was proof positive that they had gone several rounds.   
  
Duo thrust his hips as he stroked faster, now imagining that the evening had turned out quite differently. Sasha had stayed and had let him have his way. Oh, yes, Sasha would have been sweet and so very uncomplicated, unlike the other men in Duo's life.   
  
His orgasm freed him from the fantasy, and as he came down and quickly began to wipe himself off he felt a dull, queasy regret growing inside him. Sasha had not stayed last night, Zechs had, and Duo had let Zechs take him... repeatedly. He had not been fucked like that in months. Hell, he could not remember ever being fucked like that. Heero could be intensely passionate, but Zechs was possessive, as though he was making a claim.   
  
Duo swallowed hard and looked over at the empty side of the bed again. How had his life gotten tangled up with the life of Zechs Merquise? Had it been inevitable that they would fall into bed together? And was that all it had been? Just one night to sate desires? It certainly seemed so, since Zechs had left.   
  
Duo got up and took a deep, shaky breath as he stared at the crumpled sheets. Had this been a mistake?   
  
+  
  
Late that afternoon, Duo busied himself with checking inventory in the storeroom at the coffee shop. When he popped his head out the door to holler a question to Rikk he froze, mouth gaping, as he saw Zechs standing at the counter, speaking to the other boy.   
  
Duo held his breath. Zechs looked angelic in a dove gray long coat and a white suit. In his hand he held a small bouquet of yellow and blue spring flowers.   
  
"For me?" Duo whispered in amazement as he retreated back into the storeroom, feeling incapable of speaking to Zechs just now.   
  
His heart thundered. Last night had not been a one-night stand for Zechs after all. Then what had it been? Was the man intent on having a relationship?   
  
Suddenly, the door flew open, startling Duo and sending him stumbling back into the shadows of the room.   
  
"Hey, Duo," Rikk called as he stepped into the storeroom.   
  
Duo took a breath and tried to quickly calm himself. "Yeah," he said softly.   
  
"Your boyfriend's here. He's got something for you."   
  
Duo stepped into the artificial light of the room. "You told him I was here?"   
  
"Of course, you goof. Now get out there. You must be one hell of a lay for a guy to bring you flowers."   
  
Duo rolled his eyes. "Is that all you think about?"   
  
"Yup," Rikk said, unapologetic. "I knew you two had a thing for each other."   
  
"We don't have a 'thing,'" Duo said impatiently. "Could you just tell him I'm in a meeting or something?"   
  
Rikk chuckled. "Yeah, right, like he's gonna buy that. Get your ass out there, Maxwell."   
  
"Really, Rikk. I--I just can't talk to him right now."   
  
The other boy stepped closer, looking carefully at Duo's face. He looked whole, unbruised, but did seem a little frightened. Surely he was not frightened of the Ice Man.   
  
"So good it hurts, right?" Rikk asked, crossing his arms over his chest.   
  
Duo blinked. "What?"   
  
"Yeah, that's it all right. He was so good in bed it scared you. You really like this guy, don't you?"   
  
"I--I..." Duo stammered and then dropped his gaze to the floor.   
  
"Thought so. Look, I'll make an excuse for you... this time. But I don't want to get in the middle of this, whatever this is."   
  
Rikk left the room before Duo could respond. Duo felt rotten for not facing Zechs himself, but he thought it would be safer this way. He could not think straight around Zechs. Did he care for the man or was he just being swept away into something?   
  
A minute ticked by, then two. Was Zechs ever going to leave? At last the chime sounded and Duo peeked into the shop. Zechs was gone, but he had left the bouquet. He walked over to the counter and brushed his fingers over the soft petals. This was only the second time in his life he had been given flowers, the first had been from a girl in the Maguanac hangar during the war.   
  
"Did he say anything?" Duo asked, his eyes fixed on the bouquet.   
  
"Not a word. He just stared a hole in that storeroom door for a minute, set the flowers down and walked on out of here."   
  
Duo swallowed, ashamed of his cowardice. "I should've talked to him."   
  
Rikk poured water into a glass and handed it to his friend and then went back to brewing more coffee as a group of businessmen came into the shop. Duo set the bouquet in the glass and then took it behind the counter with him. As he worked he looked between the flowers and the shop's entrance. This had been such a sweet gesture on Zechs's part, so why was it so damn hard to accept?   
  
When business slowed later that evening, Duo decided to open up to his friend.   
  
"I had a boyfriend before I came here," he said, leaning back against the counter.   
  
Rikk nodded and poured himself a cup of coffee. This sounded like the beginning of a long talk.   
  
"His name was Heero," Duo continued, biting his lower lip to stop it from trembling. Hell, why didn't this get any easier?   
  
"So what happened?" Rikk prompted, pulling up a stool and sitting down.   
  
"He left me."   
  
"Geez, how long ago was that?"   
  
"Four months."   
  
"You were in love with this guy?"   
  
"Yeah," Duo said softly.   
  
"Sounds like it's time to move on. The Ice Man..."   
  
"Zechs."   
  
Rikk grinned, "Okay, Zechs. I never knew his name. Anyway, he seems nice enough. And he's sure persistent. This isn't the first time you've blown him off."   
  
Duo cringed. It was true that Zechs had been persistent, but now that they had slept together why was he still hanging around? Wasn't that all the man had wanted?   
  
"As far as I see it, you're damn lucky to have this stud chasing your scrawny little ass. You should enjoy it and forget about that guy who dumped you."   
  
Duo looked over at the flowers again. Their sweet scent and the odor of coffee beans gave Duo ideas for a new drink.   
  
"Heero never gave me flowers," he said, a bit sadly. 

"There ya' go. That's your answer."   
  
"I--I don't know..." Duo started to say, knowing that Rikk did not have the whole story, couldn't know all that Heero had meant to him.   
  
Just then Mr. Brentwood came into the shop, interrupting the intimate chat. "Hello, Duo," he called out cheerfully.   
  
"Hi, Mr. Brentwood," Duo said, noticing a large package under his arm. "Making a delivery tonight?"   
  
"Actually, I was hoping you could deliver this." He set the brown paper package on the counter. "I've got to get home to the wife."   
  
Duo tilted his head. The man rarely spoke of his wife.   
  
"Yeah, sure, I'll run it for you."   
  
"Oh, that's great. Now, if you could make me a double Hawaiian latte I'll be set for the evening."   
  
The boy grinned. "Sure."   
  
Brentwood got his drink and then left, and it was then that Duo took a closer look at the package. There was an address handwritten on the top, but no name. He scratched his head. The address was only a few blocks away, in the area where Zechs lived.   
  
Oh, shit, Duo thought. Damn if Rikk was not right about him being frightened, but could he also sense the thrill that Duo felt at the possibility of seeing Zechs again? He was sure the apartment number on the package was the same as Zechs's, but that could've been just a coincidence... or a sign.   
  
"Do you mind if I cut out of here a few minutes early?"   
  
Rikk looked up from mopping the floor. "That's two favors in one day. You owe me big time!" he laughed.   
  
"Okay, okay. I'll close for you any day you want."   
  
"That'll do for starters," Rikk said with a wink.   
  
Duo shook his head and tucked the package under his arm and headed out. He strapped it to the back of his bike and rode down the street. As he turned the last corner his heart beat faster. This delivery had to be for Zechs.   
  
When he arrived at the street address it was the same posh apartment building where Zechs lived. Duo looked up, hoping he could somehow distinguish which light in the windows above was Zechs's.   
  
Inside the building, Duo was stopped by a night doorman. He did not remember seeing one before, but then he had been focused on his companion.   
  
"I've got a delivery," he said, showing the uniformed man the package.   
  
The dark-skinned young man looked down his nose at the package. "I'll ring Mr. Merquise's apartment."   
  
The confirmation of his suspicion that this delivery was for Zechs made Duo's heart rate jump, but he remained outwardly calm. "That's okay, I know the way."   
  
The man's dark brown eyes narrowed on him. "You'll stay right where you are." He picked up the in-house phone and very soon was announcing the delivery from Brentwood's rare bookstore. When he hung up he looked a bit miffed. "Mr. Merquise would like you to take the package up."   
  
Duo lifted his chin in triumph, but the man only frowned more deeply at him. "It's apartment ten..."   
  
"Ten-o-six, I know," Duo said, and turned with a whirl that sent his braid flying behind him.   
  
As he rode in the elevator he wondered why he had been in such a hurry to get here. He did not have the slightest idea of what he would say to Zechs. Obviously Zechs wanted to speak to him again, so that was good. Duo supposed he owed the man an apology, but beyond that who knew?   
  
When the elevator arrived on the tenth floor, he got out and stood in the carpeted corridor, but hesitated going further. He didn't have a lot of experience in relationships, and compared to Zechs, Heero seemed straightforward. Duo had known almost from the start that he had wanted the other boy, and once they had kissed there had been no turning back, and no doubts about what they both wanted. Why couldn't it be that simple with Zechs?   
  
"If I'm attracted to him then I should go for it," Duo encouraged himself.   
  
Easier said than done when guilt was still nudging him in the belly. Okay, so Heero had wanted the guy dead, Duo thought, trying hard to reason this out. But that didn't stop me last night when Zechs made his move. I was willing and it felt good. Hell, Heero doesn't give a flying fuck how I'm doing, so why should I care what he thinks?   
  
That flippant thought was Duo's first true step toward letting go. That part of his life was over. Heero was behind him now. He had to be.   
  
Just then the sound of a soft click drew Duo's attention down the hall. Zechs was standing there. The man's eyes blazed a dangerous mix of sex, need and something Duo could not identify. Zechs was still dressed in his white suit pants, and the pale blue shirt was now unbuttoned nearly to his waist. As Duo's eyes took in all of the man he noticed Zechs was barefoot, a detail he found intriguing and incredibly sexy.   
  
"Duo... come in," Zechs invited in velvet-soft tones that resonated in Duo's ears.   
  
Duo was too nervous to fuss or make a scene in the hall. He followed Zechs inside and closed the door behind them.   
  
"Please sit down," Zechs said, gesturing toward the living area.   
  
Duo nodded and sat down in the middle of the sofa as Zechs settled in a chair. He could not decide if Zechs was angry with him or not, so he decided it best to get this over with. "I'm sorry about today," he said, smoothing the brown paper packaging. "I should've talked to you..."   
  
"Obviously I still make you uncomfortable, and for that I'm the one who is sorry."   
  
"Oh. Well, I..."   
  
"You want what happened between us last night to remain in the past," Zechs said, tapping his finger on the arm of the chair. This was not what he wanted, but he would not force Duo into a relationship. "It would seem that's the way it has to be. I don't blame you. We both were looking for sex. I just didn't plan on my feelings getting away from me."   
  
"Your feelings? For me?" Duo asked, surprised.   
  
"I know, you still love Heero," Zechs said quickly, wanting to prevent Duo from saying the words. "But please take the book," he said, gesturing to the package. "Take it with my compliments and utmost respect."   
  
"This is for me?" Duo asked. He looked down at the package on his lap and then back up at Zechs. "Is this payment for services rendered?"   
  
"Of course not!" Zechs exclaimed, appalled by the assumption. "Last night..."   
  
"Yeah, what the hell was last night?"   
  
Zechs stared at Duo, studying the confusion that was all too clear on the boy's face. "Are you asking me to explain your feelings, Duo? I can't do that. Maybe last night was too intense for you."   
  
Duo's chest tightened as he gripped the package in his hands. "You mean I couldn't handle it?"   
  
"On the contrary," Zechs said, crossing his legs. "I thought you handled it quite well... until today."   
  
"Oh, and I suppose you handle everything in your life absolutely perfectly?" Duo asked in a sarcastic tone.   
  
Zechs narrowed his eyes. This confrontation was not what he had planned. He wanted Duo in his bed, not sitting here battling with words. The boy had done more than just turn his head. The boy had gotten his complete attention and after last night Zechs could easily see himself devoting days, months, even years to discovering all the charms and secrets of Duo Maxwell. It had been a very long time since a night of sex had turned into something much, much more for Zechs Merquise.   
  
"Duo," Zechs said softly, uncrossing his legs and leaning his elbows on his knees. "Something brought you here tonight. You didn't have to deliver this package. Once you knew it was being delivered here, why didn't you turn around and go home?"   
  
The large blue eyes looked down at the floor. Duo was afraid to admit it, but at last he did. "Because I like you," he said, barely above a whisper.   
  
Zechs reached his hand out and lifted Duo's face by the chin. "You like me?"   
  
Duo swallowed as he met the gaze of those crystal eyes. "Yeah, you've grown on me. You're an interesting guy, complicated, but I seem to like that in guys... and you're damn sexy, too."   
  
Zechs smiled. "How about if I'm uncomplicated for a moment and tell you I want to continue what we started last night?"   
  
Warmth raced across Duo's face. He was tired of being alone, so why not? "I'd say that sounds good."   
  
Zechs's hand slipped from Duo's chin to his hand. He took the smaller hand in his and asked, "Are you sure? I don't want you running away from me again."   
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. All the old ghosts are where they should be."   
  
Zechs leaned in and kissed him, tenderly, and then withdrew. "It's time for you to open your present."   
  
"Right, the book!" Duo said happily. With Zechs's ice blue eyes watching him, Duo hastily peeled back the brown paper. "A Pictorial History... of Motorcycles. Wow!" he exclaimed, letting the paper fall to the floor as he paged through the rare book. He became more excited as each page revealed photos of bikes he had only ever heard about. "Zechs, this is perfect. Thank you!"   
  
"You're welcome," Zechs grinned, pleased that he had found the perfect gift for his new lover. "Now," he said, seductively, running his hands over Duo's hands and gently removing the book from the boy's grasp and setting it aside. "I want to show you the difference between fucking and making love."   
  
Duo was pretty sure he knew the difference, but he was not about to skip out on this tutorial. "You've got my undivided attention."   
  
With that, Zechs pulled Duo off the sofa and onto his lap, wrapping his arms around the slender body and finding Duo's lips with a searing kiss. Duo put his arms around Zechs's neck and immediately opened his mouth to the questing tongue. He moaned as Zechs French kissed him and the man's hand rubbed his cock to wakefulness.   
  
This comfortable and arousing interlude did not last long, as Zechs scooped the boy up into his arms. He stood, holding Duo close and kissing him as he carried him down the hall into his bedroom. At last, when he set Duo on the bed and the boy lay panting, looking up at him with a wide, needy gaze, Zechs thought he might lose himself, lose the control he so jealousy guarded.   
  
"This is where I've wanted you all along," he said, pulling his shirt from inside his trousers.   
  
Duo wriggled on the burgundy silk covers. He had never felt anything so cool and soft and wanted desperately for Zechs to undress him so that they could tumble naked on the silk.   
  
Zechs's bedroom was decorated richly in red, burgundy and gold, a striking contrast to the neutral tones used in the rest of the apartment. Such disparity in decor could only mean this was another side of the man, a passionate side that Duo was privileged to see.   
  
The boy scooted to the middle of the large bed, pulling his black t-shirt off and flinging it across the room. Zechs got onto the bed and straddled Duo's thighs, bending down to kiss him languidly. Duo melted into the kisses, as his hands roamed over Zech's smooth, broad chest and then down to his belt. Those lips on his were driving him mad. He wanted so much more, so he quickly unbuckled the belt and unzipped the white trousers to give his hand access to the object of his desire.   
  
"God, you're huge," Duo mumbled through the kisses as he took Zechs into his hand.   
  
Zechs laughed. "That's what you said last night and you did just fine."   
  
Duo stroked the long, hard cock, making the man above him moan. Zechs sat up and thrust into Duo's hand as he arched back. Damn it felt good to Zechs to have a lover again, to have someone he found attractive touch him and pleasure him and fill his lonely nights. He leaned forward again, his lustrous white-blond hair covering them as he kissed Duo deeply while he was stroked.   
  
"Duo," Zechs said, between kisses. "I need to get you out of these clothes."   
  
His words were met with a chuckle. "I was just thinking the same thing."   
  
The man was in action immediately. He retreated to the foot of the bed where he removed Duo's boots and black jeans, leaving the boy clothed only in a pair of emerald green bikini underwear. "How many colors do you have?"   
  
"I bought a six pack," Duo laughed.   
  
"I can't wait..."   
  
This time Zechs's plans did not include the underwear and they were slid off and tossed into the pile. Standing at the foot of the bed, Zechs's eyes raked over his little lover. "You're beautiful," he said, and then lifted one of Duo's legs, kissing along the calf to his heel and then sucking one toe into his mouth.   
  
"Oh!" Duo exclaimed. This was definitely something new for him.   
  
He watched, rapt, as Zechs paid equal attention to each toe and then began kissing a path from his toes all the way to his waiting cock. The man was now kneeling between his legs, licking his cock.   
  
"Zechs..." Duo said, moaning, and twining his fingers in the man's hair.   
  
"This is making love," Zechs said, his heart swelling to hear Duo call _his_ name.   
  
He sucked Duo inside his mouth, learning the shape and taste of him. Duo writhed and moaned beneath him, and when Zechs thought the boy could hold back no longer he swallowed Duo's cock deep down his throat, taking him all, making Duo cry out in pleasure as he came.   
  
Licking him clean, Zechs surged up and kissed Duo, letting him taste himself on his lips. Their tongues twined and Duo found himself craving more, wanting more from this man as though Zechs could fill the gnawing void. He did not have to wait long as Zechs grabbed a large pillow and coaxed Duo up so that he could slide it under his back.   
  
"My back's not bothering me," Duo chuckled, not sure what the fuss was about.   
  
"Your innocence is charming," Zechs said as he lay on his stomach and pulled Duo's bottom towards his face.   
  
"Hey," Duo said, sounding a bit worried as he lifted his head to see what the man was doing.   
  
Zechs did not bother answering as he buried his face in the boy's balls. One lick was all it took and Duo practically leapt off the bed, but Zechs's arms were curled under and around Duo's thighs holding him in place.   
  
"Easy," Zechs purred, as he sucked one ball into his mouth.   
  
"OH!" Duo cried out. This was amazing. Zechs was amazing. He had already brought Duo to orgasm once and now was continuing to pleasure him. Duo knew he should protest, tell Zechs it was his turn, but God this was just too good.   
  
Unbelievably, it got even better. Zechs released Duo's scrotum and then licked his anus. The wet tongue swirled around Duo's opening several times and then dipped inside, causing Duo to moan nearly continuously with every cell in his body tingling. Soon Zechs was tongue fucking Duo, in and out until he knew Duo needed more, and then he slid a finger inside.   
  
"Oh, God this is good!" Duo shouted and then began moaning again.   
  
As wonderful as it felt giving Duo this pleasure, Zechs knew his will was crumbling. The scent of Duo in his nostrils and the feel and taste of him on his tongue was stoking Zechs's desire by the second. He removed his finger and licked around the boy's opening once more before releasing him to get the gel beside the bed.   
  
Duo's face was flushed and his chest rose and fell in panting breaths as he watched Zechs slick himself. The man was so beautiful, so powerful looking that Duo shivered with anticipation.   
  
Zechs knelt between his legs and guided his cock to Duo's opening. "I'm going to take this slow," he promised, knowing that Duo was not fully prepared after only receiving one finger and a tongue.   
  
Duo nodded and spread his legs, feeling needy and wanton as he gazed up at his lover. It frightened him a little how willingly he spread his legs for Zechs, but then this was not the Zechs from the war. This Zechs was kindhearted and trying to survive in a world that might never understand him.   
  
After several steady pushes, Zechs was fully sheathed inside Duo. The tight warmth made him a little dizzy with need, but he fought to keep his focus on both Duo's and his own pleasure. They began to rock into each other, slowly, taking their time tonight. The frenzy of last night's sex temporarily set aside as they explored each other in a new way.   
  
With Zechs moving slowly in and out of him, Duo could better feel the man, learn his shape, sense every inch inside him. There was nothing more intimate than intercourse between two people, and Duo was amazed once more that the man who was making love to him had only months before been his and the Earth's worst nightmare.   
  
Zechs is so beautiful like this, Duo thought as his body moved with his lover's.   
  
The man's face shone passionate with their lovemaking. He gazed continuously at Duo, leaning down to kiss him often as he thrust forward again and again. Duo reached one hand up and brushed aside the damp hair around Zechs's face while his other hand kneaded into the man's firm bottom. This slow lovemaking was even more intense than their vigorous activities of the night before. More intense because, in its ease, it afforded the two men time to look on each other, appreciate what they saw and what they felt. It was definitely the difference between fucking and making love.   
  
After long minutes of loving in this way, both needed their release and the pace was increased. Duo's legs were hooked over Zechs's elbows and the man pounded into his lover, sweat trickling down his chest and back as he worked to bring them both to completion. Zechs was first to come, crying out as though in pain as his orgasm forced him deeper and harder inside Duo. The deep thrusts brushed against Duo's prostate, triggering his own orgasm seconds later.   
  
Exhausted, Zechs dropped onto his lover. They both panted hard, gasping for air, feeling as though they had run a marathon. Their hearts beat hard against their chests, seeming to pound into each other as their bodies had moments before.   
  
Duo could take Zechs's full weight on him only so long and then pushed the man aside. Zechs rolled off, pulling out and causing Duo to groan unhappily at the separation.   
  
They lay in a tangled, sweaty heap for a long time, slipping easily into a light slumber. When they woke nearly an hour later, their bodies were sticky and sore from exertion. Zechs got up and went into the bathroom for a towel. He dampened it and returned to clean himself and his lover.   
  
Neither said a word, but the difference between last night and tonight was so profound it begged notice. Last night had satisfied needs of lust and loneliness, but tonight had satisfied that and more. A door had been opened and a new alliance had been formed, bridging a gap many would have thought impossible to cross.   
  
Zechs pulled the covers down and patted the bed, encouraging Duo to join him between the cool, silk sheets. Duo crawled under with him happily, nestling in the larger man's arms.   
  
"Mind if I stay tonight?" Duo asked, as he rested his face on Zechs's chest.   
  
"You may stay every night," Zechs replied, kissing the top of Duo's head.   
  
The invitation warmed Duo. It seemed an eternity since he had been welcome to sleep in another's arms. What a luxury it was to be surrounded by strong arms amid silken sheets.   
  
After a minute of running his fingers in circles over Zechs's stomach, both he and Zechs fell asleep. Each man equally sated and content not to be spending the night alone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Artemis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

At exactly half past seven, Duo took off his apron, folding it and placing it on the counter.   
  
"Another hot date with the blond God?" Rikk asked, though he knew the answer too well.   
  
"You bet!" Duo grinned.   
  
In less than three hours it would be exactly twenty-eight days since he and Zechs had first made love. Duo wondered if other couples counted the success of their relationship in this way, but to him the last four weeks had been a triumph. His life was set on a new path and he was completely over "what's his name." There was no one else, just Zechs, the Zechs who made love to him each night and pampered him with sweet words and expensive gifts.   
  
Duo looked down at his wrist, checking the time once again, and admiring Zechs's latest indulgence. The designer watch was not gold or set with diamonds--that would not have suited Duo--but was made of polished gun metal and a state-of-the-art time piece.   
  
"Damn that guy is good to you," Rikk said as he tapped on Duo's shoulder to get his attention. The taller boy was a little jealous, not that he was interested in Zechs, but he wished someone would buy him expensive gifts, too. "I still say you should take him up on his offer to move in with him and quit your jobs."   
  
Duo shook his head. Yes, Zechs was very, very good to him, but he could never just live off the man. As it was, Duo had cut back on his work schedule to spend more time with him. The meager income allowed him to keep his apartment if nothing more. Though he spent nearly every night in Zechs's bed, to justify keeping his own place, they occasionally made the bed creak at Duo's, too.   
  
"Despite what your perverted little mind would like to believe," Duo said as he walked toward the employee entrance, "I am not a kept boy."   
  
"Ha!" Rikk laughed and then waved as Duo disappeared out the back.   
  
Stepping into the employee parking lot, Duo was startled to see Zechs leaning against his motorcycle.   
  
"Hey, I didn't expect to see you here," he said cheerily as he walked over and gave the man a kiss.   
  
"I've got a surprise," Zechs said, smiling ferally.   
  
"You're not the surprise?" Duo chuckled and then took a step back to look his lover over. The man was dressed as impeccably as always. This evening he wore a deep burgundy cotton shirt, unbuttoned to mid-chest and tucked into pressed black trousers. The ensemble was finished with black leather shoes and belt.   
  
"What have you got planned?" Duo asked, smiling and crossing his arms over his chest as if he were suspicious of the man's intentions.   
  
"Mmm, how does a weekend getaway sound?" Zechs asked, pulling Duo to him possessively and nipping at the boy's neck.   
  
"Sounds great," Duo replied, his eyes blinking shut at the arousing sensation of Zechs's lips on his throat. "But I'm working this weekend."   
  
"Mere details..." Zechs said, releasing him and then dangling a pair of keys in front of him.   
  
"What are those for?"   
  
Zechs did not answer, instead he pointed the silver cylinder on his key ring toward the parking lot. Two beeps and suddenly car lights were shining on them.   
  
"Whoa," Duo said, squinting and holding his hand up to shield his eyes. "You bought a car?"   
  
"I had to do something today while you were working," Zechs teased and then grabbed Duo by the hand, taking him over to see his latest acquisition.   
  
Duo gave a long whistle when he got a good look at the sports car. It was a small, silver convertible with black leather seats. "Very nice," he grinned.   
  
"Hop in," Zechs said.   
  
"What about my bike? And I've got to work..."   
  
Zechs bent down and kissed Duo, silencing his worries. "All taken care of. Now get in, Baby."   
  
Duo raised an eyebrow. That was the first time Zechs had ever called him that, but he kind of liked it, and jumped in the passenger seat without further delay.   
  
Zechs behind the wheel was a wonderful thing. Duo leaned back, taking in the scenery speeding past him, but more so the man next to him. Zechs's hands worked the machine like they worked Duo, anticipating the moment when it was time to shift gears, making the transition from first to second, third and beyond, smoothly... effortlessly.   
  
This car, despite its small size, suited Zechs perfectly. It was sleek and fast and looked very expensive. In minutes, they were heading out of town, and Duo again wondered how this weekend would unfold.   
  
"Whose gonna work my shift tomorrow when I don't show up? And shouldn't we stop at my apartment so I can throw some clothes in a bag?"   
  
Zechs shook his head. "I talked to Rikk earlier today and he said that Trish would be happy to work your shift tomorrow, and I've taken the liberty of buying you new clothes. I've planned the entire weekend, Duo. Now I just want you to relax and enjoy it. We have some celebrating to do."   
  
Duo had been about to protest all these plans being made without his knowledge, but Zechs's last remark undid him. "Celebrating?"   
  
"Twenty-eight days today," Zechs said, turning to smile at Duo and then looking back at the road.   
  
"Four weeks isn't very long," Duo said, suddenly feeling silly that he wanted to make note of this day.   
  
"It's been a beautiful four weeks," Zechs added, taking one hand from the wheel to rest on Duo's thigh. He gave a little squeeze. "I value every moment with you Duo. Whether it's one minute, one day or four weeks, it means a great deal to me."   
  
Duo swallowed, feeling overwhelmed. "It means a lot to me, too, Zechs," he said and then grew quiet as he turned his attention onto the city's twinkling night skyline.   
  
Not long into the trip, Zechs revealed their destination... New York City. Duo was a bit surprised by the choice, trading one city for another, but he also knew that New York held its own delights and he was happy to be spending a couple of uninterrupted days with Zechs no matter where they landed. In only a few hours they arrived at their five-star hotel, but tired from the journey they retired to their suite, ordering sandwiches and champagne from room service.   
  
Duo had never been so indulged in his life. Zechs made sure that every luxury was provided and prompted Duo to partake in this lifestyle fully. It gave the man great pleasure, and a measure of self-forgiveness, to lavish Duo in this way. After all, Duo had in one way or another been victim to Zechs's war persona. But since the first night they had had sex, Duo had not asked Zechs again to explain what he had done. Of course, Zechs was grateful that Duo had set the past aside, but he still hoped that one day he would be brave enough to face that other self.   
  
The next evening, after a lazy day of sleeping late, shopping and visiting museums, the two young men headed out for a romantic dinner. Duo wore the new indigo blue suit Zechs had bought for him, quite pleased with the tailored fit. But being Duo, he turned his nose up at the hard-soled shoes Zechs had also purchased, and instead wore his well-used black and white tennis shoes.   
  
Coming out of the dressing room, Duo crowed in triumph at how sharp he looked in his new clothes. "You got the size just right!"   
  
"I think by now I know your body better than you, better than anyone," Zechs said, smiling seductively.   
  
Duo swallowed. Yes, Zechs had learned him well, but did he really know him better than anyone? The question made Duo uncomfortable and he quickly retreated into the bathroom to brush his teeth before they headed out.   
  
At the restaurant, Zechs ordered the best wine and talked of the art they had seen in the museums that day. Duo enjoyed Zechs like this, carefree and seemingly whole. Whatever terrible things he had done or had tried to do no longer mattered. Zechs was no longer a former enemy, he was the person Duo turned to for everything... comfort, release, companionship. And he suspected he had become the same, perhaps more, to Zechs.   
  
After dinner, the pair stepped into the night air ready to find a dance club or just walk along the city streets taking in the sights. Just as they set off, walking hand in hand, they noticed a crowd gathering in front of another restaurant, a half block down and across the street.   
  
"Are those photographers?" Duo asked, curious of the unexpected spectacle.   
  
Zechs narrowed his eyes on the scene. It did seem that the local media was well represented. "Perhaps they've found us out," he said, chuckling, and pulled Duo to him for a swift, public kiss.   
  
"Ah, the elusive lovers have been discovered," Duo snickered, letting Zechs pull him into the dark recess of a doorway.   
  
They indulged in the forbidden love fantasy for a moment, kissing and holding each other tight, until they heard several in the crowd cry out excitedly. Looking across the street, they watched as several white limousines and black cars with darkened windows pulled up in front of the restaurant.   
  
"Wow, looks like something big is happening," Duo said.   
  
Men in dark suits jumped from the black cars, making a perimeter around the limousines and pushing the crowd of reporters and onlookers back. Duo stepped in front of Zechs, watching with wide-eyes as the scene played out. He was certain it must be someone very famous for there to be this much security and interest.   
  
Zechs placed his hands on Duo's shoulders, wanting to keep the boy from bolting across the street to investigate further. At first, Duo found the touch comforting, but then noticed that the pressure on his shoulders was growing.   
  
"You okay, Zechs?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at his lover and then back at the crowd. "Do you know what's going on?" he asked and then froze as the answer emerged from inside one of the limousines. "Relena!" Shocked, Duo leaned back into Zechs and gasped, "What's she doing here?"   
  
"Official business, no doubt," Zechs said calmly, staring at his little sister and noting with great interest that she wore the traditional white uniform of the Royal Peacecrafts. The image stirred many memories, but memories that seemed from another lifetime.   
  
Duo watched with growing unease as Relena and other important dignitaries made their way into the restaurant. Seeing the Sankian princess again made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. If Relena was here then so was...   
  
"Heero," he said. The name was just a breath on his lips, going unheard over the clamor of the press and the sound of the passing traffic, but it sent a jolt through him all the same.   
  
Duo's eyes darted about the scene, searching for the familiar tousled dark brown hair. He scanned each person, starting with the security detail, but he did not see Heero. Of course, that did not mean he was not here. He might already be inside the restaurant, coordinating the operation from there.   
  
Their last conversation came back in a flash. "Relena needs me," Heero had said. "You can take care of yourself like you always have." The words echoed inside Duo, cutting him again as they had months ago.   
  
Damn you, Heero, he thought, as his heart hammered in his chest. He swallowed hard against the re-emerging pain, and then took hold of Zechs's hand and said, "Let's get out of here."   
  
The two young men moved away back down the street, neither saying a word. They walked for some time after that, each feeling a little lost, a little off-center. It was not easy having the past thrown back at you when you thought it had been successfully tucked away.   
  
Back in their hotel room it seemed the incident was forgotten. They fell onto the bed in a passionate embrace, their mouths coming together in kiss after kiss. Zechs pulled Duo on top of him, the boy straddling his hips as he wriggled out of his suit jacket and then worked to unbutton the other man's shirt.   
  
Duo kissed each inch of the broad chest as it was exposed. He needed this contact, needed to make this connection, needed to forget... As he began to work open Zechs's pants, the man grabbed him by the wrist to stop his progress.   
  
"Duo, I need to tell you something," Zechs said.   
  
"Talk later," Duo said, continuing to kiss the bare skin. "I want to make love." He reached down to feel Zechs's bulge and grinned. "Mmm, and so do you."   
  
"That can wait."   
  
The statement stopped Duo's ministrations. Zechs had never made him wait before. He looked up to find Zechs's blue eyes intense and serious. "You really want to talk... now?"   
  
"Just for a moment."   
  
Duo sat up, still straddling the man. "Okay, so talk."   
  
Leaning up on his elbows, Zechs took a breath. "I haven't been completely honest with you."   
  
"You can be honest after we have sex," Duo said and snickered.   
  
"I'm serious. I have to tell you something about this weekend. When I planned it, I wanted it to be a celebration of our relationship."   
  
The boy smiled. "And it is. So what's the problem?"   
  
"The problem is that I chose New York for selfish reasons." Zechs looked away and then back up at his lover. "I knew that Relena would be here."   
  
"Oh," Duo blinked.   
  
"Yes, oh. I read an article outlining the upcoming summit of the United Earthsphere Alliance. I knew they would be meeting here in New York City."   
  
"And you knew Relena would be at that restaurant tonight?"   
  
"Yes, I'm sorry, Duo. I thought it would be good to see her again, but it was very selfish of me..."   
  
Duo shook his head. "Since when is it selfish to want to see your own sister? There's no way I could be mad at you for that."   
  
Zechs rested back down on the bed, sighing deeply. "I don't deserve you," he said, running his hands over Duo's thighs. "But be honest with me. Tell me, are you all right? I should've consulted you before putting you in that situation. I hadn't considered your feelings about possibly seeing H---..."  
  
Gentle fingers pressed against his lips, stopping the name from being spoken. He searched the big, round eyes staring down at him and saw the emotional scars. Of course, Duo had felt something out there. How could he not? But whether it was pain, regret or anger, Zechs knew he should not ask. They were in bed and this was no place to discuss past lovers. And so, Zechs kissed the slender fingertips and then pulled Duo down, taking his mouth in a deep, slow kiss. Tonight they would set the past aside once again.

+

It was early morning, still pre-dawn, yet Zechs had already showered and dressed. He stared out the window of his 10th floor apartment, looking out onto the sleeping city. In another hour or so, Duo would wake and Zechs would tell him his decision. He had promised himself the night before, with Duo lying curled in his arms, that when the sun rose on the new day he would resurrect his former self, Milliardo Peacecraft.   
  
For the past three weeks, ever since glimpsing his sister in New York, Zechs had pondered the question of family, home and renewal. Certainly he and Duo were happy in Boston, but they were living as exiles from their former lives. Zechs was heir to a beautiful, peaceful kingdom and he owed it to his family and his people to return and seek their forgiveness and censure. Whether they would want him as their king he did not know, nor did he know if he could take that step, but he had to return home.   
  
As for Duo, if he chose to journey to Sank, Zechs knew he might lose him. The look in Duo's eyes the night they had seen Relena told him that much. The boy still hurt from the loss of Heero Yuy, and one did not hurt if one did not love. Asking Duo to join him on this journey was a risk, but a risk Zechs had to take if he ever hoped to have a future with this enchanting young man.   
  
At half past seven, Duo stumbled out of their bedroom, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He was wearing the top from Zechs's blue silk pajamas. It was too large, but it looked perfect on him.

"Good morning, Duo," Zechs said and walked over to meet him half way. He kissed the boy's forehead and smiled. "Looks like you could use another few hours of sleep."   
  
"It got cold in there without you," Duo said, pouting. "Why you up so early?"   
  
"Because today's a new day," Zechs said, optimistically. How could he be melancholy looking into that gamin face?   
  
"Well, you're chipper this morning," Duo said and laughed. "How 'bout some coffee?"   
  
"That would be nice, thank you."   
  
Minutes later, they went out onto the balcony to enjoy their mugs of coffee. Duo had slipped on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt while the coffee was brewing and now leaned against the railing, breathing in the fresh roast. Zechs sat on one of the balcony chairs, admiring the boy's form.   
  
"You think I'd be tired of coffee after working in a coffee shop all those weeks."   
  
Though he still worked part-time at the rare bookstore, Duo had quit the coffee shop after returning from New York. Something had changed between him and Zechs on that trip, something had drawn them closer, and so he had decided to take Zechs up on his offer to move in.   
  
"I made a decision last night," Zechs said, suddenly, setting his mug down.   
  
"Oh, yeah? And what's that?"   
  
"I'm going to return to Sank and I want you to come with me."   
  
The coffee mug nearly slipped from Duo's hand. "Wh-what?"   
  
"It's time Milliardo Peacecraft came out of hiding."   
  
Duo blinked, speechless at what he had just heard. This was the first Zechs had mentioned going home.   
  
"I know this may seem a bit sudden...." Zechs continued.   
  
"No kidding. When the hell were you going to tell me?"   
  
"Now. I only just decided last night."   
  
Duo set his mug down quickly as a wave of dizziness rocked him. Damn if he was not having a bad case of déja vu. "Oh, like you haven't been thinking about this for a while?"   
  
"Please, Duo, let's not argue..."   
  
"We wouldn't be arguing if you had talked to me!" he shouted, throwing up his hands.   
  
"But there was nothing to talk about until now..."   
  
"Nothing to talk about? Out of the blue you tell me you're leaving, and there's nothing to talk about?!"   
  
"I'm not leaving!" Zechs said emphatically. "I'm going home and I'm asking you to come with me!" Zechs did not like to raise his voice, but Duo certainly did not seem to be listening.   
  
"Well, no thanks!" Duo huffed, setting his fists on his hips. "Why the hell would I want to go to Sank? And why would you? Haven't we made a life here together?"   
  
Zechs stood to meet the challenge, but he tried to keep his voice calm. "Listen to yourself. This doesn't sound like the Duo Maxwell I know. I thought you'd be pleased that I'm ready to face my past."   
  
"Well, who says I'm ready to face mine!"   
  
Duo tried to push past Zechs and retreat into the apartment, but Zechs grabbed him by the arm and turned him around. "Up to your old tricks again, I see. Running away?"   
  
"Yeah, maybe I am," Duo bit back.   
  
"Baby... don't," Zechs said, pulling Duo into his arms. The boy squirmed and tried to break free, but Zechs held on tight. "I know this isn't easy, believe me, I know. But I love you, Duo, and I need you to be strong for me."   
  
The boy stilled in his arms. "What did you say?" he asked, looking up at Zechs's anguished face.   
  
"Yes," Zechs said, softly. "I said I love you. I've been falling in love with you ever since that night you slept on my sofa."   
  
Those were the words, the words that Duo had longed to hear, but from another. And now to hear Zechs say them as though it was the most natural thing in the world was unbelievable.   
  
"Zechs," Duo said, his brow tightening. "You can't mean that."   
  
"And why not? That's how I feel. I'd have to be blind not to see all you can offer."   
  
Duo looked away, ashamed. He wasn't ready for this, nearly, but not quite.   
  
"Duo," Zechs said, taking the boy's face by the chin and turning it back to him. "I didn't mean for you to hear that now. I know you're not ready..."   
  
"But I--I want to be ready," Duo said with trembling lips. Why can't I tell him I love him? I think I do... I must! We make love every night. He's generous and kind and beautiful. I should be able to tell him!   
  
Zechs brushed his thumb under Duo's eye, taking away the tear that was about to fall. "Don't worry, when it's right, you'll tell me."   
  
Duo smiled.   
  
"That's better," Zechs said, and bent down to kiss Duo's cheek. "Now what's all this fuss about not coming with me?"   
  
\+   
  
It had been two days since the conversation on their apartment balcony. Two days since waking to find that life was about to change once again. And now, Zechs and Duo were traveling in a private car on their way from the Sank airport to the Peacecraft palace.   
  
In the backseat of the white Rolls Royce, Duo reached for Zechs's hand and held it tight.   
  
"I know," Zechs said, squeezing Duo's hand in return. It was all he could say, all he needed to say.   
  
After sending a recorded visual message to Relena, it had been only a matter of hours before they had received the simple reply, "Yes, brother, come! You are most welcome here!"   
  
There had been no mention of his absence, assumed death, or misdeeds. Instead the message conveyed the brightness that was his sister. Zechs had been glad, and Duo, too, though now that they were moments from arriving at the palace both were too nervous to speak.   
  
"There it is," Zechs said as they came into the valley where the palace sat. "My home."   
  
Duo's mouth fell open. It was the most beautiful place he had ever seen. The sprawling white palace looked welcoming and appropriately grand, and the land surrounding it was richly green and carpeted with wildflowers in every color.   
  
"Zechs, it's beautiful," Duo said, not taking his eyes from the scene.   
  
Zechs's heart pounded. It was as he remembered it from childhood. Relena had restored the Peacecraft ancestral home to its former beauty, to a time before the war when the Sank Kingdom was unravaged and peaceful. He nearly sobbed as their car turned onto the long drive leading through the open iron gates and to the front of the palace.   
  
Home, he thought, wiping at his eye.   
  
There had been a time in Zechs's life when he did not believe he would ever return to Sank. Nor had he cared. And now as they drew closer to his roots, Zechs knew this was right, knew this was where he belonged.   
  
Duo looked over at him and smiled. "You okay?"   
  
"Yes," he answered softly.   
  
A small welcoming committee waited at the bottom of the palace steps. The Princess Relena was wearing a yellow summer dress and holding the hand of a young girl with a basket of freshly picked flowers. Next to them stood Lucrezia Noin, an old friend of Zechs's, wearing an uncharacteristically feminine suit of pale blue. And standing straight and true behind them was Pagan, the reliable and much loved servant of the Peacecrafts. It was more than Zechs and Duo had hoped for and yet the grouping was curiously missing one key player... Heero Yuy. Neither mentioned this fact.   
  
"It's good to see Noin," Zechs commented as their car drew closer. He had not been aware that the former OZ lieutenant was living in Sank. "Though she has every reason to be angry with me for what I've..."   
  
Duo held up a finger and wagged it at his lover. "Nope, gotta stop you there. Remember our agreement? No self-abasement allowed."   
  
Zechs chuckled as the car came to a stop. Before they opened the door to face the others, Zechs pulled Duo to him for one last private embrace. "Duo, thank you for coming with me."   
  
"No problem," the boy said, caressing Zechs's long hair.   
  
Zechs knew that Duo was nervous and had his own worries concerning this trip, but Duo had not mentioned them once. He's a strong young man, Zechs thought, proud of his lover's resolve.   
  
Zechs was first to exit the car and was immediately greeted in a rush of hugs from Relena and Noin.   
  
"Oh, Milliardo!" Relena said, releasing him from the hug and taking him by the hands. "When you sent that message we thought we were dreaming! We just couldn't believe you were actually alive!"   
  
Relena knew so little about her brother. They had been raised separately from the time of their parents' deaths thirteen years earlier, and she had only met him once during the war when he had been crazed and emotionally unreachable. To see him now made her eyes shine with tears. The recorded message had given her hope of his newfound stability, but now she could see in his face that he truly was a Peacecraft again.   
  
The little girl came forward and curtsied, lifting the basket of flowers to the Sankian heir. "Welcome home, Prince Milliardo."   
  
"Thank you," Zechs said, smiling.   
  
"This is Tatiana, she's Pagan's granddaughter," Relena explained.   
  
Zechs looked from the little girl to his old friend. "She's lovely, Pagan."   
  
"Well, naturally I think so," the elderly man said, coming forward and shaking the prince's hand.   
  
"Zechs, why didn't you let us know you were alive?" Noin asked, her heart pounding at seeing him again.   
  
"I'm sure you can guess," Zechs replied. Then turning to Duo he gestured for him to join them. The boy had been completely ignored in the excitement of this homecoming. "Duo, please," Zechs said.   
  
Duo stepped into the grouping and smiled.   
  
"Duo!" Noin exclaimed, giving him a welcoming hug. "We were surprised to hear you would be escorting Zechs back to Sank."   
  
"He's more than escorting me," Zechs answered, reaching his hand over to squeeze Duo's shoulder. "He's my lover."   
  
There was a collective gasp from the women as eyes widened at the former Gundam pilot.   
  
"Your lover?" Noin asked, her heart sinking. After all this time she still held out hope that she and Zechs...   
  
"Yep, that's right," Duo said, blushing. He had not expected Zechs to be so open or so blunt about their relationship.   
  
"It's good to have you here, Duo," Relena finally said. "I'm sure you must be anxious to see your old friend, Heero, again. If he wasn't in the middle of switching over our computerized security system he would've been here to greet you."   
  
The blush that had colored Duo's cheeks faded, as he paled. Had Heero wanted to greet him?   
  
"Are there problems with your security?" Zechs quickly asked.   
  
"Not anymore. Heero has done wonders," the girl said, her face beaming with admiration. "I'm sure he'll be happy to tell you all about it. But you must be tired from your journey. There are two lovely bedroom suites ready for you..."   
  
"Two? That won't be necessary. Duo is staying with me," Zechs said, slipping his arm around the youth's waist.   
  
"Oh, of course!" Relena said. Poor Miss Noin, Relena thought as she escorted the group into the palace.   
  
\+   
  
In their suite, Duo flopped down on the bed, truly exhausted from their journey.   
  
"Is this all yours?" he asked, his eyes to the ceiling, looking with wonderment at the plaster scrollwork etched in gold.   
  
"It is mine by birth," Zechs replied, sitting on the edge of the bed. He followed Duo's line of vision up and smiled. "As a child I often stared at the ceilings in the palace. One is more beautiful than the next."   
  
"I noticed a lot of scaffolding outside and down corridors as we walked to our room. There must be a lot of fixing up to do," Duo commented, letting his eyes fall to Zechs.   
  
"Yes, the war ravaged this place, this land. Relena has done a great deal to restore it to its former beauty. She is wise for her years. She knows the right people to have around her."   
  
It was implied that Heero was one of those people, but Zechs would not say it aloud. The fact that Heero had not been part of the welcome made things a bit more uncomfortable. It was as if the boy was lurking, waiting to jump out at them.   
  
"You should get some rest," Zechs said, leaning over and petting Duo's long braid. "No matter what Relena promised, dinner will be a formal affair, and you'll need your wits about you."   
  
"Why not nap with me?" Duo asked, putting his hand over Zechs's.   
  
"I would enjoy that, but I'm too keyed up. It's hard to believe I'm home."   
  
Duo smiled. "They're happy you're here. You had nothing to worry about," he said, gesturing to all the bouquets of freshly cut flowers in their room. The flowers were from government officials and other Sankian elite. It was obvious that they had missed their prince.   
  
"And I'm happy you're here," Zechs said, bending over and kissing Duo lightly on the lips. "Now sleep, and I'll wake you for dinner."   
  
Duo watched as Zechs got up from the bed and unpacked a few items. He wanted to keep his eyes open, keep watching Zechs's graceful movements, but he was just too tired. Soon his eyelids became heavy and he fell into sleep.   
  
A loud noise startled Duo awake little more than an hour later. It was just mid-afternoon, still hours before he needed to get ready for dinner. He looked around the room and saw that he was alone. Zechs had been restless and must have gone out to re-acquaint himself with his surroundings. Another loud noise drew Duo's eyes toward the open balcony doors. Neither sound was menacing, just loud and curious, and so he slowly lifted himself off the bed to investigate.   
  
On the balcony, he peered along the outside wall of the palace until his eyes settled on a group of workmen. It seemed one of them had dropped some tools on the metal scaffolding.   
  
The day was bright and Duo winced a little at the intensity of the mountain sun. So this was Sank, this was Zechs's home. It was as Duo had imagined, a fairytale land for a beautiful prince, and yet he could not enjoy it as such. Beneath all its beauty and grandeur lay a deep wound.

"Why are you hiding?" Duo asked as he retreated back into the bedroom suite.   
  
Part of him had been relieved that Heero had not been among those greeting him and Zechs. Another part of him had been hurt. Was he not even an old comrade to Heero? Was the other boy not even curious to see him again? Certainly Duo was not hoping for a friendship between them now, but shouldn't they at least shake hands and acknowledge each other's presence here? Perhaps even agree to stay out of each other's way?   
  
If nothing else, the snub on arrival had reminded Duo of exactly why things had not worked out between them. Heero was all work and all sense of duty. Duo sighed and went over to his bag and unpacked a fresh shirt. Zechs had the right idea. Get out and explore... and live!   
  
Tucking in his dark blue t-shirt into his black jeans, Duo headed out into the palace. As he walked the wide, marble halls, stopping to admire paintings or to peek inside rooms, he noticed the curious stares from the palace staff. At least three times, he was approached to determine who he was and what exactly he was doing. He supposed the grilling was a testament to the palace's security and shrugged off each inquiry with good humor.   
  
Not long into his exploration he was joined by Zechs.   
  
"You're causing quite a stir," the man told him as he bent to give Duo a kiss on his forehead. "The entire palace is talking about the suspicious boy in jeans who's wandering the grounds."   
  
It was true he was dressed rather more casual than anyone else here. Zechs, of course, was dressed in a suit, this one of pale gray.   
  
"And now they've sent you to collect me?" Duo asked, with a crooked grin.   
  
"Something like that. Actually I thought as long as you were awake we could take a walk. I'd love to show you the art gallery."   
  
In the gallery, Zechs explained the great achievement of the collection.   
  
"Much of the Royal art collection had been damaged or destroyed in the war. What could be saved was sent to art conservators for repair, but much of what you see here has been donated by the people of the Sank Kingdom."   
  
Duo looked down the length of the large room. Dozens of paintings of all sizes hung on the walls. There were landscapes, seascapes, portraits and still lifes. Every subject was represented in this collection of Sankian heritage.   
  
"When Sank was attacked, many of its citizens hid away their valuables, including some of the art you see here. This is truly a wonderful gift. They have gladly given all this to replenish the Royal art collection."   
  
Duo saw a tear spill down Zechs's cheek just before he turned and brushed it away.   
  
"You're right, this is a wonderful gift. Looks like the people of Sank are ready to have their monarchy restored," Duo said.   
  
Zechs turned back to him. "Yes, that is my feeling as well. And Relena has shown me the hundreds of letters of welcome that have been arriving since my return was announced," he said, his eyes watering again.   
  
"That's wonderful," Duo said, taking Zechs's hand.   
  
"But?" Zechs asked.   
  
"But what?"   
  
"I see the question in your eyes, Duo," Zechs said, squeezing his hand. "And I can tell you the answer before you even have to ask. I want you here with me. No matter the outcome. I want you by my side."   
  
Duo smiled and then wrapped his arms around Zechs's waist. "Thank you," he said and they held each other in a comforting embrace.   
  
Though Duo was not sure how he fit into all this grandeur or what it would mean if Zechs actually did claim his throne, he wanted Zechs to be happy.   
  
Their progress back to their suite was slow as people continually approached them to speak with Zechs. Duo felt nearly invisible as servants and staff curtsied and bowed before the prince, giving their well wishes and sharing their happiness on his return.   
  
When one of the security details approached, Duo suddenly wished for that anonymity. Among the group of five was a certain head of dark brown tousled hair, belonging to Heero Yuy. Duo's heart jumped. Heero looked sharp, handsome and professional in a white cotton shirt, dark blue trousers and a blue on blue tie and dress shoes. Unlike the others, he did not carry a weapon, only a small electronic notepad in his hand. But Duo knew better---Heero was the weapon.   
  
Their eyes met and Duo swallowed hard. He had long imagined what it would be like to see the other boy again, but he had not expected this silence or this longing to grip him. Where were the clever remarks he had so carefully crafted and rehearsed?   
  
Heero was equally silent, but the pounding of his heart in his ears was deafening. He had been unable to join the welcoming party earlier that day, but had been all too aware of Duo's arrival. Now to see him, looking as wiry, beautiful and alive as always, set Heero's heart to pounding. Could Duo know just how surreal it was to see him in these halls?   
  
The security staff spoke with Zechs, each in turn, with Heero stepping forward last. He nodded to Zechs, but did not hold out his hand. The overwhelming feeling that they were still enemies hung in the air, and to see Zechs with Duo made those feelings that much more prominent in Heero's mind.   
  
At last Zechs held out his hand in greeting. Duo cringed as it seemed Heero would not accept, and remembered a time when he had resisted Zechs's olive branch, too. But then Heero took the hand and gave it a hard shake, looking Zechs in the eye. The others present gave an audible sigh. They had felt the tension, too.   
  
"The past is the past," Zechs said, generously. "We shouldn't let it control our efforts for the future."   
  
Heero's eyes flickered to Duo and then back to Zechs. "You've made Relena happy by coming home in one piece. For that I'm grateful."   
  
Duo felt his face flame at Heero's words. After all this time, Relena was still the center of the universe. He shook his head and turned to leave.   
  
"Duo," Zechs called after him, but the boy did not respond. Zechs sighed as he watched him walk away.   
  
By now, the members of the security squad were anxious to be on their way as well.   
  
"Will you be at dinner this evening?" Zechs asked Heero as the others began to move away.   
  
"Yes," he said simply.   
  
"Relena has nothing but praise for the work you have done here. Thank you."   
  
"No problem," Heero said and then headed off to rejoin his group. His stoic features belying the turmoil he felt having Duo so close again.   
  
Back in their suite, Zechs found Duo out on the balcony. The boy's face shone with the orange hues of the late afternoon sun.   
  
"You two didn't greet each other," Zechs said, coming to stand next to him.   
  
"I guess there's nothing to say," Duo responded as he continued to look over the lush grounds.   
  
"If former enemies can speak than so can former lovers."   
  
"Don't talk like that," Duo said, looking up at him. "I don't want to think about the past."   
  
"Is that because you're happy with the present? Or because you're afraid of what the past means to you?"   
  
"What kind of bullshit is that?" Duo asked, sharply.   
  
"I don't know, you tell me," Zechs said, keeping his tone calm. "You're obviously afraid of something. You turned tail..."   
  
"I should've never told you that!" Duo yelled, angry that Zechs would throw his admission about running away from situations at him now.   
  
"Then you should've addressed Heero."   
  
"Oh, yeah? Well, what was holding him back? He could have just as easily said something."   
  
"Could he?" Zechs asked, feeling an uncharacteristic jealousy turn inside him.   
  
Duo turned back again, ignoring the question as he stared blankly at the landscape before him.   
  
"This isn't right," Zechs said, taking Duo by the arm and turning him to face him once again. "Heero Yuy is back in our lives for five minutes and we're fighting."   
  
Duo's chest felt heavy, like a pressing weight was upon him. "You're right. We shouldn't fight," he said, softly. "I'm sorry."   
  
The apology was barely across Duo's lips when Zechs pulled him into his arms and kissed him deeply, possessively. As the kiss continued, Zechs lifted Duo off his feet and carried him into the bedroom, setting him down on the bed.   
  
Duo looked up with wide, lustful eyes. "Take me, Zechs," he said, then added silently, make me forget.   
  
There was no hesitation.   
  
\+   
  
Zechs's prediction was correct; dinner was a formal affair. The banquet hall was decorated in the most beautiful blossoms to be found in the Kingdom, and the table was laid with the finest linen, china and gold stemware. The lavishness of the feast was most certainly fit for a king, or the return of a lost prince. Fifty guests were in attendance, all dressed in their finest suits and gowns, and all extremely pleased to be invited to this grand celebration.   
  
Zechs would have been happier with a simple supper prepared for himself, Duo, Relena and Noin, but that was not to be, at least not this evening. Relena was determined to fete her brother and to let everyone know her great joy at his return. The homecoming was still a bit awkward for Zechs, but he welcomed her attempts to please him.   
  
As dessert was served, Relena stood to say a few words and to make a toast.   
  
"Thank you all for coming this evening, to honor my dear brother's return. No one was more surprised than I to hear that Milliardo was alive and well. Nor can anyone be more happy. It is a miracle to have my brother returned to me, returned to the people of Sank, and to see him happy in his life. Welcome home, Milliardo!"   
  
"Welcome, home!" the guests repeated, raising their glasses and sipping their wine.   
  
When the cheers quieted, Zechs stood. "Thank you, everyone. Your warm welcome is more than I could have hoped for. I am well aware that it might have been different."   
  
Many around the table disagreed, reassuring Zechs by saying, "No, you were always welcome."   
  
He bowed his head. "Thank you, again, but you must know it's been a long road home for me... to be reunited properly with my dear sister and to stand before you and ask your forgiveness." He raised his eyes and looked at each person sitting around the table. "The Sank Kingdom has been in disarray since that terrible day thirteen years ago when my parents were murdered, and unfortunately I was too preoccupied with my own need for revenge to be of any use to you. Now that the war has ended, and I have re-discovered the Peacecraft in myself, it is my hope that together, Relena and I can work to rebuild this beautiful country, to make Sank the shining beacon of pacifism that it once was!"   
  
The room burst into cheers once again, and everyone stood, holding their glasses high. "To the future King Peacecraft!" they cried out. "Long live King Milliardo!"   
  
The people of Sank adored their prince and were more than ready to forgive all his past mistakes. Their devotion felt right, and Duo smiled, knowing that Zechs was a good man and deserved this warm reception.   
  
After several more toasts, the guests finished their dessert and then got up to mingle and to speak with Zechs directly. Duo, once again, was pushed aside. For several long minutes, he tried to stay near Zechs, be part of the circle adoring him, but soon he found he was just in the way. Not that Zechs would have ever said so, but Duo knew the crowd had no use for him.   
  
He slipped from the banquet hall and stepped onto a stone patio, inhaling the fresh mountain air. The night was cool, but he was warm from the crowded hall and his black tuxedo. He settled on the pedestal of a nymph statue and looked up at the night sky. Even though it was quite late, the sky was still a deep azure and twinkled brightly with a thousand stars and a round, yellow moon. The last time he had gazed at stars like this he had been at Quatre's home in Arabia, ages ago.   
  
A prickling sensation on the back of his neck made him look away. Someone was here. He turned to see a figure silhouetted by the night and standing less than ten feet away.   
  
"I always could sneak up on you," the visitor said.   
  
Duo shivered. He knew that voice and now that his eyes had adjusted he could see the outline of Heero clearly. "What do you want?" he asked, sharply.   
  
"The same things you want. Peace and fresh air," Heero said, stepping closer.   
  
Duo let out a shaky breath. He did not want to be alone with Heero, but damn it if he was going to give up his spot on the patio. "It was peaceful... until you showed up," Duo said.   
  
Heero nodded. He had not expected anything less. In fact, he had expected more venom than this. "You're with Zechs now?" he asked, stopping his advance just a few feet away.   
  
"What's it to you?"   
  
Now that sounded more like the Duo he knew. "Just curious," Heero said as he looked at Duo in the moonlight. Even in the formal attire, Heero could see Duo's rebelliousness wanting to wriggle free. Damn it was good just to be looking at Duo again. Had it really been six months since they had last seen each other?   
  
"Why don't you hit me and get it over with?" Heero asked, in the flat, serious tone he often used.   
  
Duo inhaled deeply and looked over the other boy as if assessing his chances in a fight. "I've already wasted too damn much energy on you. Now beat it!"   
  
In an odd way, the angry words were welcome. Heero knew he deserved them and more, and he also knew the least he could do was give Duo some space right now. There would be more opportunities to talk in the coming days, and so, he left quietly, retreating back into the palace.   
  
Moments later, Zechs appeared on the patio, looking a bit breathless. "There you are!" he said as he came over and put his arm around Duo's shoulder. "I saw Heero pushing through the crowd and suddenly realized I didn't know where you had gone."   
  
"It's all right, Zechs. I told him to get lost," Duo said and stood.   
  
"Then you spoke to him?"   
  
"I suppose you could call it that."   
  
"What did he say?" Zechs persisted.   
  
"He wanted to know about us and I told him it was none of his business."   
  
Zechs felt that twist in his belly again. Was Heero taking inventory of the situation?   
  
"Well, he'll probably keep his distance now," Zechs said, though somewhat unconvincingly. He pulled Duo to him, wrapping his arms about him.   
  
"Shouldn't you be inside?" Duo asked, nuzzling the white dinner jacket Zechs was wearing.   
  
"They've had me long enough for one evening. Now I'm yours."   
  
"Mmm, that sounds nice, but won't you be missed?"   
  
"Their welcome is sincere," Zechs said, letting his hands slide down Duo's back. "But their prince has needs, too." His hands settled on Duo's bottom and squeezed.   
  
The boy chuckled. Oh, he liked this. "Is that right? And what needs would those be?"   
  
"I think you know, Baby. Needs that only you can satisfy," he said and lifted Duo by his bottom until their lips met in a searing kiss.   
  
Duo hooked one of his legs around Zechs as the man plundered his mouth. For the second time today he was swept up in Zechs's desires. Whatever was enflaming Zechs's needs, Duo wanted more of it.   
  
\+   
  
Dark, Prussian blue eyes narrowed, dilated as they watched the scene two stories below. As much as Heero wanted to look away, he could not. A strange burning sensation was growing deep inside him, at the very center of his being. It was a feeling he had never experienced before, a feeling that grew more intense as he watched Zechs's hands move on Duo... watched Zechs's mouth possess Duo.   
  
Noin had told him that Zechs and Duo were an item, but Heero had been reluctant to believe. Duo had hated OZ, and Zechs's role, especially at the end of the war, had been all too clear. Yes, people could change, but Heero had never expected Duo to be the one to change.   
  
He turned away, unable to watch anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Artemis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

The next morning, Zechs and Duo joined Relena and Noin for breakfast. The low-key gathering was much appreciated after the fanfare of the previous evening.  
  
"Milliardo, we are scheduled to meet with the high ministers of parliament later this morning," Relena said, as she spread blackberry jam on her bread. "But first the workers are anxious for you to see the palace renovations."  
  
"Thank you, that sounds fine," Zechs replied and then looked to Duo. "Are you interested in joining us? Or perhaps you'd like to spend a day exploring on your own?"  
  
Duo wanted to be with Zechs, but he knew he and Relena had yet to spend any significant amount of time together. "Uh, yeah, I think I'll just poke around on my own... if that's okay?"  
  
"Of course, but I would like us to take lunch together," Zechs said, reaching over and squeezing Duo's hand.  
  
The boy smiled. "A lunch date sounds good!"  
  
"Zechs," Noin interrupted. "I was hoping this afternoon you would want to review the operations of the palace."  
  
"That's fine, Noin," Zechs said with a small smile.  
  
Noin had spent most of their friendship trying to impress Zechs and it seemed that she did not intend on stopping now.  
  
"I understand you've been talking to Lady Une about forming a worldwide security force," Zechs continued.  
  
"Oh, yes," Noin said, pleased that Zechs would be interested in her work. "We've only just begun discussing it, but we think there's a need for a centralized security organization that would prevent the re-occurrence of military threats."  
  
"Preventers, you say?" Zechs asked. "Is there a real threat out there?"  
  
"There have been pockets of resistance," Relena said, and then looked up as one of the servants opened the door and announced her security advisor. "Come in, Heero!"  
  
Heero walked up to the table and nodded. "I've got those numbers for you," he said to Noin and handed her a chart.  
  
"Thank you," Noin said, looking over the document.  
  
"Heero, we were just discussing the continued threat to peace," Relena said, looking doe-eyed at the boy.  
  
Heero nodded, and in his businesslike demeanor immediately began to explain the situation. "We've received reports from around the Earthsphere that there are still factions of OZ operating and regrouping," he said, his eyes settling on Duo for a moment and then looking to Zechs.  
  
"Then it's true," Duo spoke up, looking to Heero with wide eyes. "Relena has been threatened?"  
  
"Hn," Heero said, bowing his head slightly. "The threat is real, but as yet there hasn't been significant movement by any of the identified groups."  
  
Duo looked down at his plate. When Heero had rushed off to protect Relena all those months ago, Duo had secretly wondered if the princess was truly in danger or if Heero had merely used it as an excuse to end their relationship. At the time, emotions had been building between them, and Duo had suspected that things had gotten too intense for the other boy. Now it appeared Heero's motives had been duty bound. This new information did not change the past between them, but it did make Duo feel like a bit of a bum. All these months he had been sulking, recovering from their relationship and working odd jobs while Heero had been working to maintain the peace.  
  
If he asked, I'd be embarrassed to say what I've been doing, Duo thought, keeping his eyes downcast.  
  
Zechs's brow furrowed as he noticed the change in Duo's demeanor. He would have to ask him about it later, but he had a feeling it had something to do with Heero. "Then you have an intelligence network in place?" Zechs asked Heero.  
  
"Yes," Heero answered, lifting his chin as he looked at the man. "It's limited, since we're working within the resources of only the Sank Kingdom, but if we can form a larger, independent organization to monitor hostile activity we'll have a better chance of maintaining the peace we won in the war."  
  
"That would be the organization Noin and Une have conceptualized?" Zechs asked.  
  
"Right," Heero said.  
  
It was strange for Heero to be speaking with Zechs in this way. His instincts, his training told him to still view Zechs as an enemy, but the signals he was getting from everyone around him said just the opposite. Relena, Noin, and most of all Duo, were accepting of Zechs. He trusted their judgment, and he had to trust his own eyes and ears as well. Zechs was sincere in his commitment to peace.  
  
"Perhaps we can discuss this later?" Zechs asked, as he placed his cloth napkin on the table, signaling the end of the meal. "We have a busy morning ahead of us," he added, looking to Relena.  
  
Heero nodded and watched the group disperse. Before Zechs left the room he went over to Duo and put his hand on his shoulder, looking at Heero briefly. He then bent to whisper something in his lover's ear. Duo's cheeks blushed, and Heero found himself swallowing hard at the image. There had been a time when his words had had the same effect.  
  
Zechs seemed pleased as he left with Relena. Then Noin came forward and asked Heero questions about his calculations. As she talked, she slowly moved them toward the door, but all the while Heero kept a part of his attention on Duo. It was not like him to not give his full attention to his work, but he could not keep his gaze from returning to Duo.  
  
Outside, Heero felt in a bit of a panic. He needed to speak with Duo again. He had to have some interaction with the other boy even if it was only harsh words. After Noin thanked him for his explanations, she walked off down the hall, and Heero immediately slipped back inside the breakfast room.  
  
Duo was making a sandwich out of freshly baked bread and sliced cheese. Heero came closer, watching with ample fascination as Duo wrapped the sandwich in a napkin. He had forgotten how the other boy was always thinking ahead to his next meal. The memory made him grin. Maybe Duo had not changed all that much.  
  
"A snack for later?" Heero asked as he came up to the table.  
  
"I told you to get lost," Duo snapped, even as his eyes glanced up.  
  
"I remember."  
  
"Doesn't look that way," Duo said, getting up from his chair.  
  
Heero watched appreciatively as Duo turned to leave and his braid swayed and brushed against his ass. Oh, he had forgotten what a simple delight it was to watch Duo and that braid move!  
  
"I missed you," Heero said suddenly, the words tumbling out.  
  
"What?!" Duo asked, spinning around, his eyes wide and suspicious.  
  
"I know you probably don't believe me..."  
  
"You're damn right I don't believe you!" Duo shouted. "You never once tried to contact me, and don't tell me you didn't know where I was with your damn intelligence operation circling the globe!"  
  
It was true that Heero knew Duo had been living in the northeastern quadrant of America, but he had resisted the urge to pinpoint his whereabouts exactly. When they had parted, Heero had left Duo's life and that had included not spying on him.  
  
"What do you want me to say?" Heero asked, sincerely flummoxed as to how to proceed. "How am I supposed to act around you?"  
  
"Maybe it'd be best if you just kept your distance," Duo said, repeating his wish that Heero just stay away.  
  
"I don't think I can," Heero said, taking a few steps toward him.  
  
Duo's eyes widened. What was happening here? Was Heero still interested...? "Look, I'm with Zechs..."  
  
"And why is that?" Heero asked, in an accusatory tone.  
  
"He's not our enemy anymore," Duo said, unable to stop himself from responding to Heero's inquiry. "Zechs is special to me and he actually wants me in his life!"  
  
"I wanted you in my life, too, if you recall," Heero said, trying to break through Duo's walls.  
  
"No, I don't recall."  
  
"You were too busy being angry at Relena to understand that she needed my help. I had to go, but that didn't mean I didn't want you."  
  
Duo looked away. His heart hammering in his chest. What was Heero saying? That it all had been a misunderstanding? No, this could not be right. He remembered that last evening, he remembered how Heero had brushed him off...  
  
He looked back into those dark eyes. "You said I didn't need you and you were right, I don't," Duo said and then pressed his lips together to stop them from trembling.  
  
"Because of Zechs?"  
  
Duo could not answer that. He could not bear this conversation any longer. He turned and headed for the door.  
  
"Duo, wait!" Heero called out, but Duo did not stop.  
  
+  
  
Duo spent the rest of the day as far from the palace as possible. He was hiding again, but it couldn't be helped. He couldn't face Heero. The old feelings were still there, waiting to bubble up and take him over. He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let himself destroy what he had worked so hard to build... a life with Zechs.  
  
That evening he returned to his and Zechs's suite, hoping to find his lover there, but he was not. Duo went out onto the balcony and gazed up at the stars. Sank was so beautiful, but he wasn't enjoying it like he should, not with Heero's words haunting him. Heero had missed him, and had wanted him in his life.  
  
"It can't be," Duo said, for the thousandth time that day.  
  
A tear slid down his cheek. How many nights had he cried over the loss of Heero? How many months had it taken to forget him? And now Duo was back to square one, thrown back into the anguish that had threatened to tear him apart all those months ago. Duo needed to banish Heero once again... banish his words, the image of his eyes, and the sound of his voice.  
  
Damn, he thought. How can I? I still love him...  
  
Just then Duo heard the door opening.  
  
"Duo? Are you here?" Zechs asked as he set his attaché case down.  
  
"Yeah, out here," Duo called back, poking his head through the balcony doors.  
  
Zechs smiled at seeing his lover. "I'm sorry about today. I know I promised we'd meet for lunch..."  
  
His apology ended as Duo came running into his arms.  
  
"What is it, Baby? You okay?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around Duo.  
  
"I'm okay now," Duo said, snuggling the taller man. He had needed this all day.  
  
Zechs caressed Duo's braid. "I missed you, too, if that's what this is about."  
  
"Yeah," Duo said with a sigh. Zechs felt so good in his arms.  
  
They moved over to the bed and sat down, keeping their arms about each other as they kissed in greeting.  
  
"Tell me about your day," Duo said, smiling as he pulled back.  
  
"Are you sure you want to know? The ministers were all business and serious faces."  
  
"Well, at least you had something to do today," Duo said, a bit snappish.  
  
Zechs raised an eyebrow. "What's this? Are you upset with me for not meeting you as we had planned?"  
  
Duo shook his head. It had been disappointing to get the message that Zechs would not be able to meet him for lunch, but it was more than that.  
  
"I understand you have duties..."  
  
"But?" Zechs prompted.  
  
"Well, what am I supposed to do?"  
  
"Baby, we've been here two days and you're already bored?" Zechs asked as he stroked Duo's arm.  
  
"I'm not exactly bored, but I do want to feel useful," Duo said, sitting up straighter.  
  
"But you are useful," Zechs said, smiling. "I can't tell you how wonderful it is knowing that you're here. I thought of almost nothing else today, but you!"  
  
Duo felt himself wilt. If only he could say the same thing back to Zechs.  
  
"Then it's okay if I don't have a purpose?" Duo asked.  
  
"But you do have a purpose. I thought you understood. You're my companion, my love," Zechs said, now brushing Duo's bangs. "In time, perhaps you can take on some responsibilities, but for now, I want you to relax and enjoy yourself."  
  
"But you're never around," Duo said, his frustration evident.  
  
Zechs sighed. "I'm sorry, but I've got a lot of catching up to do. I hadn't realized just how welcome I would be on my return. Everyone is anxious for me to step back into my place here."  
  
"As king?" Duo asked, his heart thumping.  
  
"Yes, probably in time. But right now, I'm just trying to get up to speed on all that is happening in the kingdom. Can you understand that, Duo?"  
  
The boy nodded.  
  
"It's obvious we spoiled ourselves in Boston," Zechs said, smiling, remembering how it had just been the two of them. "I have some papers I need to go over and then I'll come to bed and we can pretend we're back in our apartment."  
  
Duo smiled at that. "I'm being a pain...."  
  
"No," Zechs said, shaking his head. "It warms me to know you've been missing me." Zechs leaned in and kissed his diminutive lover. "Just a couple of hours and I'm all yours."  
  
Duo watched as Zechs got up, retrieved his briefcase and went into the adjacent room to look over the state documents. He suspected that this would be the new pattern of their life and frowned. He needed Zechs now more than ever if he was going to fend off the old feelings that were stirring inside him. And it was discouraging that Zechs didn't want him to have any responsibilities just yet. Was he really here just as Zechs's companion? That made him twitch. Duo had never been the kept boy type, but surely that hadn't been what Zechs had meant. That, coupled with learning how Heero had been working for peace, made Duo feel even more like a slug. All Duo had done was serve coffee and deliver books to the rich. What did that say about himself and his ambitions?  
  
My only ambition has been to forget Heero, Duo thought morosely.  
  
He needed to change that. He needed to become a player again on the world stage. So what could he do to prove to Zechs that he was ready to be more than just a companion?  
  
Maybe if I learned something about Sank, that'd be a good place to start, Duo thought as he stood.  
  
Though Zechs had told him stories of his childhood in Sank, and Duo knew of the kingdom's role during the war, he knew virtually nothing of its history. He remembered from his earlier wanderings that the palace had a beautiful library. Surely there would be plenty of history books there.

Duo looked in at Zechs, studiously reading in the next room, his long platinum hair falling forward over the documents. He wouldn't disturb him. He would head down to the library for a book and be back within the hour to enjoy his lover fully.  
  
Duo slipped out of the suite and headed down the marble halls in search of the library. If he remembered correctly it was on the second floor next to one of the large meeting rooms. There were three hundred rooms in the palace and Duo had seen only about a third of them and, being as distracted as he had been, he wasn't quite sure where he had seen what.  
  
After about twenty minutes of peeking inside doors, Duo finally found the library. He gasped at its beauty in the evening light, the moon illuminating its book lined walls with a bluish hue.  
  
He stepped inside and closed the door behind him, and then walked over to a large desk to turn on a lamp. The room now played more in shadows as the lamplight only reached several feet. Duo turned and gazed at the wall of books before him. How would he ever find what he was looking for? He scanned their spines, tilting his head to read the horizontal titles, his braid sliding on his back with the motion. There was a wealth of information here, everything from poetry and art history to autobiographies and encyclopedias of flora and fauna.  
  
He remembered Zechs that day in Mr. Brentwood's bookshop, holding a copy of a rare botanical guide. He had wanted to kill Zechs then, put him back in the grave he had crawled out of, but now he shivered at the thought. Zechs was a good man. He was generous and kind and had made Duo whole again.  
  
The creak of old leather startled Duo out of his silent reverie. He turned and peered into the shadows.  
  
"Who's there?" he asked, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.  
  
From out of a large, leather chair rose a figure of slender, but muscular build. "It's me, Duo," the familiar voice said.  
  
"Heero," Duo said, in a shocked whisper.  
  
"You always did know where to find me," Heero said, stepping into the lamplight to reveal himself fully. He was dressed casually in a white shirt, jeans and tennis shoes, and his relaxed demeanor made it appear he had been there for some time.  
  
Duo stepped back, shaken to have run into his ex-lover. "I wasn't looking for you," he said, defensively.  
  
"Really?" Heero asked, his eyes intense. "But I'm sure you remember that I spent every evening in Quatre's study."  
  
"That was a long time ago," Duo said, making a move to leave, but Heero blocked his way, holding out his arms wide to prevent him from passing.  
  
"I've sat here many evenings remembering those weeks in Arabia," Heero said.  
  
Duo took a half step back. To hear Heero speak of their time together sent a spike of warmth through him, coloring his cheeks. This wasn't a good idea, being here alone with Heero, and having those impossibly dark blue eyes staring at him, challenging him. He tried to get by again, but Heero stood firm. Then Heero moved forward, prompting Duo to back up against the bookshelves.  
  
"I've missed you," Heero said sweetly, putting his arms on either side of Duo and grabbing onto the shelves to trap the other boy to the spot.  
  
"You said that before," Duo said, panicked by this closeness.  
  
"And I'll keep saying it until you believe me," Heero replied.  
  
Duo shook his head. "How can I? You left me there..." Choking up, Duo turned his face away.  
  
The emotional response surprised Heero into pulling back slightly. He had been getting so much venom that he hadn't expected this. He dropped his arms to his sides.  
  
"I admit... I made a mistake," he said, hesitantly. It wasn't easy for Heero Yuy to admit failure, but he knew it was important to do so now. "I'm sorry."  
  
Duo's eyes widened as he looked back at Heero. He couldn't believe his own ears.  
  
"The Perfect Solider is apologizing?" Duo asked with a snort, trying to regain his hard edge.  
  
"Yes. And you know better than anyone that I'm not perfect," Heero said, locking his gaze once again with Duo's. "I never expected things would turn out like this," he admitted. "I hadn't considered how it would be... without you."  
  
No, Duo thought as the words swirled in his head. His breath was coming harder now as he realized Heero was saying all the right things.  
  
"It'll take time," Heero continued, inching closer again until he was sure Duo could feel his breath ghosting his skin. "But I'm going to do whatever it takes to regain your trust."  
  
Duo pressed himself flatter against the bookshelves, his eyes wide like saucers.  
  
"How?" he asked, wetting his lips with his tongue. Heero was standing so close...  
  
Heero's eyes focused on the moistened lips. Everything about Duo was coming back to him in waves. The how and why he had left suddenly didn't make sense anymore. Duo was so beautiful, so strong, and yet in this moment so vulnerable. They had made a good team. They had been perfect lovers.  
  
"I'd like to start with this..." Heero said, leaning in and taking Duo's lips in a kiss.  
  
In shock, Duo accepted the kiss, his eyes falling shut as he tasted the lips he had missed with a desperate ache. Heero was enchanting tonight and after all these months felt just the same... no, better. Heero's lips were warm and soft and the touch made Duo tingle with deeply buried memories. Those memories enticed him to wrap his arms about Heero's narrow waist.  
  
Heero put his arms around Duo as well, pulling the other boy to him as he took the kiss deeper. He wanted to convey so much in this kiss. He wanted to bleed his apology into Duo and promise that he would put things right.  
  
The kiss went on, and Duo wanted to live in this moment forever. It felt as if he was in a dream... it had to be a dream being in Heero's arms again. But if this was a dream, then what was the reality?  
  
Zechs, Duo thought with a start.  
  
His eyes popped open. He had to get a grip on himself. He pulled out of the kiss, breathing heavily, and pushing Heero away with a hard shove. Heero stumbled back.  
  
"Bastard," Duo said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He was shaking. How could Heero have done this to him? Transporting him back to a time when they had been lovers.  
  
This time Duo pushed past Heero and made for the door.  
  
"I realized something in the months we've been apart," Heero said, speaking quickly in the hope of stopping Duo's retreat. "I knew there was something special between us, but I never understood what I was feeling..."  
  
Duo was at the door, throwing it open.  
  
"I love you," Heero said, his heart pounding hard.  
  
Duo froze in the doorway. The very breath knocked out of him by those words. God, it seemed he had been waiting forever to hear those three little words from Heero. And now that he had, he didn't know what to do. But he was just as guilty of caution, pride, and youthful nonchalance. He had never told Heero of his love either.  
  
With effort, Duo turned to face him, his eyes filled with brimming tears. But those tears and those quivering lips were a result of the war within. Duo's mind was telling him that Heero was playing games and that this was a trick, while his heart thumped with hope for the boy he had never wanted to be parted from.  
  
When at last he spoke, his voice was shaky. "W-why... why couldn't you have told me that before?" Duo asked, hanging onto the doorjamb for support.  
  
"I didn't understand what I was feeling back then," Heero said, his tone pleading, but firm. "But I know now, and I want you back. We can make it work this time."  
  
They stared at each other for seconds, neither saying a word. It was as if a great chasm lay between them and Heero had just thrown a line over. The rope had snagged on a tree branch, but hadn't anchored securely, and any strong wind might dislodge it... and then they would be miles apart again.  
  
Heero had spent the first couple of months in Sank intermittently thinking about Duo and pushing the memories aside. But instead of his memories fading over time they had strengthened, and Heero came to understand what a fool he had been. In his arrogance he had pushed away the best thing that had ever happened to him. With this realization came the biggest realization of all... that all those indescribable feelings he had been wrestling with had been love forming and taking hold.  
  
Now he hung on the silence between them, watching Duo intently, knowing the other boy was processing what he had said. He had lost Duo's trust and he knew it would be an uphill battle to regain it. But it was a battle Heero was willing to fight, a mission he heartily accepted.  
  
Even though Duo was reluctant, no, downright stubborn about letting him back in, that kiss had told Heero all he needed to know. It was a little-known secret that Heero could read Duo's emotions by the intensity and enthusiasm of his kisses. And that kiss had proven, without a doubt, that Duo had not only missed him, but that he still had a soft place in his heart for him.  
  
His loud-mouthed former lover might try to hide his true feelings behind snide remarks and stern looks, but the truth had shown in his kiss. Zechs or no, Heero had the proof in that kiss. Duo still wanted him.  
  
And so, when Duo finally broke their gaze and hurried from the room, Heero let him go. Hope was now his ally.  
  
+  
  
When Duo came to a stop on the third floor landing, he doubled over, trying to catch his breath. A flicker of déja vu returned his thoughts to the night in Arabia when he had raced from Heero into the house. Back then, Heero had seemed devoid of feeling and anxious to be rid of him. Now, as Heero had said, things had changed.  
  
"He loves me," Duo said, trying to wrap his mind and heart around the words and their true meaning.  
  
He stood upright and touched his lips with the tips of his fingers. That kiss... that kiss had felt like a homecoming.  
  
He looked back down the marble stairs and smiled shakily. The warmth that had settled in his cheeks earlier now covered his entire body. Heero loved him and wanted him back. The proposition was so fantastic, so unexpected that it made Duo laugh. The impossible had happened... Heero Yuy loved Duo Maxwell.  
  
"I must be imagining things," Duo said, shaking his head as though clearing away cobwebs.  
  
Despite still feeling the tingle of lips and hands on his body, Duo half-believed that he had been sleep walking and his mind had played a trick on him. Or was that wishful thinking? Yes, this encounter had been real... all too real. And now Duo's mind and heart became painfully aware of the fact that there were two men who loved him.  
  
The giddy laughter stopped abruptly. As flattering as it was to have two very handsome men vying for his attention, Duo knew this could not end well. Someone would be hurt.  
  
"Zechs..." he said, looking toward their shared suite.  
  
The last thing he wanted was to hurt Zechs. Though a former enemy, Zechs had persevered and won Duo's affection. And he had picked up the pieces of Duo's shattered love life. It still amazed him how Zechs had overcome the barriers the war had placed before them. He was an honorable, gentle and beautiful man.  
  
And I think I've come to love him, Duo thought with tears again brimming in his eyes.  
  
It suddenly occurred to Duo that although Heero and Zechs had confessed their love for him, he had been unable to tell them his deepest, truest feelings. He sighed, realizing he had a lot of hard thinking to do. And so, instead of returning directly to his suite, he trod down the corridor to an elegant bench at the end of the hall. Beneath a large window accented by azure draperies, Duo sat on a cushioned bench and looked out onto the cloudless night sky. It was the kind of night made for lovers, but which lover did Duo want?  
  
His thoughts went back to Heero, his first love. Heero had turned his world upside down, fought by his side, and melted him into a puddle of goo with every kiss. Heero had been a hard battle won, and a continual challenge, but somehow they had connected and found a balance. There was something to be said for first loves, but could the magic and intensity they had shared so many months before be recaptured? And was that what this was about regaining the past? Or making a future?  
  
Wufei had once counseled Duo to live in the moment, and to expect change with every breath. Had so much changed in six months that a relationship with Heero was no longer a possibility?  
  
"What am I thinking?" Duo asked himself aloud. How can I even consider a relationship with Heero again? I'm with Zechs...  
  
Just then, Duo heard the click of a door opening. He looked up to see Zechs stepping into the corridor. The man cut an impressive figure against the empty, but ornate hallway. This was his home. This was where he belonged. It was as if the palace itself was brighter for his presence.  
  
Zechs was still dressed in his white Sankian uniform, save for the burgundy tie and gem encrusted pin at his throat. Those had been removed shortly after beginning the tedious review of documents.  
  
The Sankian heir looked both ways down the hall before spotting Duo on the bench. He smiled and then walked toward his lover.  
  
"I was worried when I found you had gone," Zechs said. He came to stand before Duo, noting the look of concentration on his lover's face. "Have you been sitting here all this time?"  
  
"No," Duo said, softly. With Zechs standing over him, wearing the official uniform of the Peacecraft family, Duo suddenly felt the inequality of their positions. In Boston they had been equals, but here... how could they ever be that again?  
  
Duo's head tilted back, his eyes traveling up Zechs's tall form to his eyes. "I wanted to do research... on the Sank Kingdom."  
  
Zechs grinned, pleased at Duo's initiative. "Then you were in the library? You never fail to surprise me," he said and bent to kiss Duo's lips.  
  
Duo accepted the kiss eagerly, hoping desperately that nothing had changed. That the kiss he had shared with Heero hadn't been as mind blowing as he had thought in that moment. When Zechs began to pull back, Duo took his hand and pulled him in again, deepening the kiss, trying to cleanse himself of what he had done.  
  
Zechs's free hand came up to cup Duo's face as he pressed for entrance. When Duo's lips parted, they both groaned as their tongues met and intertwined. Soon, Duo was on his feet, standing and being held in Zechs's arms. What had started as a sweet kiss of approval for Duo's efforts had turned passionate and inappropriate for public halls.  
  
At last, Zechs broke away, his eyes dilated and body aroused. "I believe we have a special night planned," he said in that deep, velvet voice.  
  
Duo gulped at the predatory look in Zechs's blue eyes. They had planned a bit of a re-enactment of their time in Boston, and certainly that look was a reminder of their very first sexual encounter.  
  
"Uh... yeah," Duo said, suddenly shy and unsure of himself.  
  
Zechs narrowed his gaze. One minute Duo was all fire and temptation and the next he was meek as a mouse. Could it have something to do with the serious look that had covered his face when he had first found him on the bench?  
  
"Is everything all right, Baby?" Zechs asked.  
  
Duo nodded. "Sure," he said and then whisked past Zechs in a blur of motion, braid flying behind him. He looked back over his shoulder at his stunned lover. "What are ya' waiting for?" he called and then ducked inside their suite.  
  
Zechs shook his head and gave a low chuckle, walking at a dignified pace back to their room. As he was about to step across the threshold, he got the feeling he was being watched and turned to look down the hall. There, on the stairs, he thought he saw a man... or was it just a shadow from the columns? He took a step back into the hall and squinted, but by the time his eyes adjusted to the dim light the shadowy figure was gone. Or had it been there at all?  
  
+  
  
Retreating, quickly and silently back down the stairs, Heero's blood pulsed in his ears. This was madness, wanting Duo this way. Wanting him so much that he would spy on his private moments.  
  
And he had nearly been caught. Zechs's instincts were good and it was obvious he had sensed his presence, but Heero had been fast. He was sure that Zechs had not seen him.  
  
So what game was Duo playing? Kissing him with vigor and then fleeing to his current lover to fulfill his passions? The image burned in Heero's eyes and in his belly. He had never been so sure of anything or anyone since his mission to free the colonies. Then why was Duo hesitating to come to him?  
  
"Because he doesn't want to hurt Zechs," Heero said in realization.  
  
He didn't like to think about it, but he had put Duo in a terrible situation. He had created a triangle. One of them was going to get hurt, and after witnessing the way Duo had just kissed Zechs, Heero felt the ominous gnaw of rejection roil inside him. 

+  
  
Closing the door, Zechs smiled at the sight before him. Duo was sprawled on the bed, and though fully clothed it was obvious he was waiting for him.  
  
"Another long day at the coffee shop?" Zechs asked with a wink.  
  
Duo chuckled. He liked the idea of pretending they were in Boston again. In hindsight he could see just how perfect it had been. He and Zechs had created a world for themselves, each helping the other to forget his past. And maybe tonight's play would help Duo forget the present...  
  
Leaning up on one elbow, Duo replied, "Yep, some joker wouldn't let me guess his drink."  
  
Zechs stepped closer, slipping off the white, bolero jacket. "Very rude," he said as he reached the bed. "And what did you do?"  
  
"I seduced him," Duo said with a snicker.  
  
"Oh?" Zechs asked, raising an eyebrow. "I suppose that's one way of ensuring a good tip."  
  
Zechs knelt on the bed and then lowered himself onto Duo, wrapping his arms about the smaller man and kissing him deeply. The warm press of bodies was electrifying. It had been a long day and they both needed this physical contact.  
  
Ending the day with sex was a ritual the couple had adopted early on. No matter how tired Duo had been from working, or how late he had arrived home, they always had energy to indulge their attraction for one another. In those first tentative days of their relationship, it was the sex that truly bonded them and became the foundation from which their relationship was built. After all, the war was what they had in common, and in that past they had been enemies.  
  
But lying in bed, Zechs and Duo found that despite all their differences they fit well together. They moved well together, kissing and touching each other in a pleasing rhythm. Most often, Zechs took the lead in their lovemaking. Tonight was no exception. He nuzzled Duo's neck and kissed a moist path to his Adam's apple, licking the very male bump. All the while, Zechs's hands moved over Duo's clothes, pulling the boy's shirt from his jeans and settling on another very male bulge.  
  
Duo moaned as Zechs's hand rubbed and squeezed him. "Zechs," he said, caressing the man's back and buttocks.  
  
Zechs lifted away from the Adam's apple to look into Duo's eyes, his long, platinum hair falling forward and brushing against Duo's face.  
  
"Baby," he said in response, and leaned down to take the sweet lips again. As he devoured his mouth, he rubbed his erection into Duo's thigh, letting him know he wanted him.  
  
The passion was building quickly, but when Zechs moved to unfasten Duo's jeans, Duo tensed.  
  
I don't think I can, Duo thought, and then his hesitation melted away as the large hand dipped inside and grabbed his hardness. He moaned into Zechs's mouth, his hips arching up into that strong, warm grasp. But again that odd feeling came back, and though what Zechs was doing felt good, something was itching at the back of Duo's mind. Itching, then clawing and finally knocking at him to be heard. It was Heero. Memories of Heero and their own passionate lovemaking were coming back to him. How long had it been, since Duo had thought of Heero while making love to Zechs? Hadn't he put that particular ghost to rest? But it seemed his past was not done with him yet.  
  
Zechs noticed the slowing of Duo's caress and sensed his distraction. He pulled out of the kiss, but kept his hand in motion on Duo's hardness. The boy's eyes met his, but it was as though Duo was far away.  
  
"What is it?" Zechs asked.  
  
"Hmm?" Duo asked vaguely. His body was still responding to Zechs's petting, which only clouded the thoughts swirling in his head all the more.  
  
"Do you want me to stop?"  
  
Duo's eyes focused with the question. "Oh," he said, in another non-answer.  
  
Zechs's hand stopped and was slowly pulled from Duo's jeans. "Something's bothering you," Zechs said, studying Duo's face.  
  
Duo looked up into Zechs's eyes, and then turned his face away. "I'm sorry," he said.  
  
The older man's gaze narrowed. "About what?" he asked in confusion.  
  
"I just... can't."  
  
"Duo?" Zechs asked, taking Duo's face by the chin and turning it back to him. "Tell me what this is about."  
  
Duo shuddered. He couldn't do that. He couldn't tell Zechs that he had been thinking of Heero, that he still had longings for Heero.  
  
"Just not tonight... okay?" Duo asked, his eyes pleading with his lover.  
  
Zechs took a long, deep breath. This had never happened before. Since that first night when he had taken Duo on that broken down old couch, Duo had been more than willing. Why the sudden change? Not so sudden, Zechs thought morosely. Everything had become more tentative since their arrival in Sank. But what part of being in his homeland was complicating things with Duo?  
  
"Are you upset with me for not giving you a project or position at the palace?" Zechs asked, eager to break through the barrier that had been thrown up against him.  
  
Duo shook his head. "Please don't," he said.  
  
"Please don't what?" Zechs persisted, needing to know.  
  
"Please don't... make this any harder," Duo said as a tear slid down his cheek.  
  
Zechs sighed heavily, his frustration undisguised. Something told him it was more than just Duo's place in Sank that was causing this problem. And Zechs would very soon have to deal with it... or him. Yes, Zechs feared that his old rivalry with Heero Yuy was about to come into play once again.  
  
Not wanting to make Duo any more uncomfortable than he already was, and needing to take care of his own discomfort, Zechs got up slowly from the bed. He stared at Duo a moment, regretting that they could not resolve this now, and then turned and headed into the bathroom.  
  
Duo rolled over onto his side and curled into a ball. He heard the click of the bathroom door and moments later the sound of the shower running. Zechs had been left unsatisfied for the first time since they'd gotten together.  
  
"Sorry," Duo whispered into his pillow as he cried softly.  
  
+  
  
The morning sun warmed Duo's face and arms, stirring him from a deep sleep. His eyes blinked open as he stretched, and his thoughts quickly turned to the previous night. Wanting to apologize again, Duo rolled over to find that Zechs was already gone.  
  
"Shit," he said, feeling the guilt stab at him yet again.  
  
Then he noticed a piece of Royal stationery lying on Zechs's pillow. He picked it up and immediately recognized the elegant hand.  
  
My dearest Duo, I know I have not had much time for you since coming home. Be assured that my affection for you is as strong as ever. Please join me for breakfast at nine o'clock so that we may begin the day together. Love, Zechs.  
  
Duo sat up with the note in his hand and sighed. He couldn't seem to remember what had gone wrong last night. Why, after having made love every night for nearly two months, had he suddenly froze? But of course he knew the answer, and it struck him with a wince---Heero. With just one kiss, one sweetly, intimate kiss, Heero had shredded Duo's walls.  
  
"What am I gonna do?"  
  
When Zechs had wanted to come home, Duo accepted his place at Zechs's side even though it meant seeing Heero again. And damn Zechs for that. Damn him for having a sister and responsibilities and a nation calling him back to them.  
  
Duo crumpled the note and slammed his fist into the mattress. "Damn you, Zechs!"  
  
Hadn't things been just fine in Boston? Why did he have to go and throw a wrench into the wheel? Duo knew why... because fucking like rabbits never solved anything. Sure, it was great for a time, but sooner or later the past was going to catch up with the present and they'd have to face things. That's when Zechs became Milliardo again, and Duo was hauled off to Sank to support his decision. And it just so happened... to face his own past.  
  
So maybe Heero was to blame? The bastard certainly deserved to be blamed for everything that had gone wrong in Duo's life for the past six months. Duo liked the idea of cataloging every headache, spilled drink, bad tip, undercooked steak, lost key, and certainly broken heart as caused by one, Heero Yuy. He even toyed with the idea of putting his list to paper, thinking that Wufei would call it, "cleansing."  
  
But Duo was a smart boy, and despite all his anger toward Heero, and Zechs, he knew he had to at least take part of the blame for the circumstances of his life. It was time for Duo to start being honest with himself and everyone around him. And that was a heavy burden. That would involve making choices that at this point seemed impossible to make.  
  
He got up from the bed, rather reluctantly, and padded into the bathroom. It was just eight o'clock, and he had plenty of time to make that breakfast date with Zechs. A shower would do the trick to jumpstart his day after the emotional aerobics of the previous one.  
  
+  
  
Duo made his way to breakfast wearing faded blue jeans, a black ribbed cotton tee and black ankle boots. He hadn't quite gotten down the "palace look," and he didn't much care. At least the staff seemed to be getting used to his presence in the marble halls.  
  
He was rather looking forward to dining alone with Zechs. They had not shared a private meal since coming to Sank, and he thought they did some of their best talking over food. Well, Duo did anyway. Maybe he could get a list of Zechs's appointments for the day so he knew where to find him and when he might be free to take a stroll in the gardens. After last night, he really needed to spend time with Zechs and clear his head of these ridiculous thoughts of Heero. After all, Heero was his past, and Zechs was his future... right?  
  
At the breakfast room, an uniformed servant opened the door for Duo. He didn't think he'd ever get used to that, having servants open doors for him. Zechs had been bred to enjoy or to tolerate such formalities and had transitioned easily from private to royal life. Duo would have to ask him about this and possibly request a lesson on palace protocol. Maybe if he understood why everyone did what they did it wouldn't seem so odd anymore.  
  
Stepping into the room, Duo's light mood immediately faded. His quiet breakfast with Zechs was not to be. Sitting around the table were Relena, Noin and heaven help him--Heero.  
  
He came to stand behind the empty chair next to Zechs.  
  
Zechs frowned at the look of disappointment on Duo's face. "What is it?"  
  
Duo leaned forward and in a soft voice explained, "I thought we were having breakfast... alone."  
  
"That can be arranged, but generally I meet with my advisors over breakfast," Zechs replied just as softly. Obviously Duo didn't want the others to hear.  
  
"Oh... I misunderstood," Duo said, taking his seat.  
  
Zechs suddenly remembered the note he had left Duo. The boy must have misinterpreted his meaning. "This is my fault entirely," Zechs said, reaching over to take Duo's hand. "Let me make it up to you later."  
  
Duo looked down at the hand holding his and then to the others around the table. All eyes were on them and their whispered conversation.  
  
"It's okay... really," Duo said, giving a little grin. "You've got a country to run."  
  
"I will make it up to you," Zechs reaffirmed, squeezing Duo's hand.  
  
Duo nodded as he looked into Zechs's face, the man's eyes alight with sincerity. Zechs genuinely believed that he could do it all. Be the ruler of a country in the process of rebuilding itself after a tragic war, and fulfill all of his lover's needs.  
  
He gently released Duo's hand and watched as Duo turned to enjoy his breakfast. He wanted to tell Duo that he was disappointed, too. He enjoyed Duo's company very much, but for the time being they would not have a lot of time alone. Perhaps the thing to do was to appoint Duo to some position where they could work together on a project? He would give that some thought, but right now Duo needed to be rescued from Relena's endless questioning.  
  
"Since you've explored the palace grounds so thoroughly, perhaps I could arrange for you to see more of our homeland," Relena offered in a cheerful manner.  
  
"I'm certain Duo is capable of arranging things for himself," Zechs said, hoping to deter her further prodding.  
  
"Actually, I was hoping you would give me the tour," Duo said, looking to Zechs.  
  
Zechs smiled. "That's a fine idea. I'll work that into my schedule for tomorrow," Zechs said, gently patting Duo's thigh under the table.  
  
"Tomorrow?" Duo asked.  
  
"Yes, I have meetings all day today, including the security check this morning with Lucrezia and Heero."  
  
Duo nodded, and feeling everyone's eyes on them once again, shook off his second disappointment of the day. "Of course. Who has time for sightseeing, anyway?" he asked with a chuckle. "I've got a lot of history to catch up on."  
  
Zechs nodded. "Yes, as you discovered last night in the Royal library there are hundreds of books on Sank's past."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure Heero's pointed you in the right direction there," Relena said, smiling.  
  
"Huh?" Duo asked, looking at the princess with mouth gaping in shock.  
  
"Milliardo just said you were in the library last night," Relena added, as though that would make her statement more clear.  
  
"Y-yes," Duo agreed, hesitantly.  
  
"And so was Heero. Isn't that right, Heero? You spend every evening in the library," the princess nodded to her security advisor, and then went on without missing a beat. "I assume Heero would've shown you the most relevant histories. He's read nearly a hundred books since arriving in Sank."  
  
Duo stared blankly at the princess, his heart hammering and his cheeks blushing. He didn't dare look over to see Zechs's reaction.  
  
There was a long, silent pause as everyone's forks and knives came to rest on their plates. No one said a word as all eyes moved between Duo, Heero and Zechs.  
  
For Heero, it seemed a battle was playing out before him. The opportunity was there to strike, take advantage of Zechs's vulnerability and the fact that everyone must be thinking that he and Duo had met secretly last night. But he would not strike now. In Antarctica, Zechs had wanted to settle their rivalry in an honorable way and had disabled one of Tallgeese's arms to compensate for Heero's own injured arm, leveling the field of battle. Heero would do the same now.  
  
"I wasn't in the library last night," Heero said, barely glancing at Relena.  
  
"But you told me you spend every evening..."  
  
"Too predictable," Heero said, curtly.  
  
Duo snapped his mouth shut. Was he crazy or was Heero covering for him?  
  
"Yes," Zechs agreed, even though in his heart he believed otherwise. "Predictability can be dangerous for a soldier."  
  
Duo heard the coolness in Zechs's tone. Relena's innocent accusation had been taken seriously, but Duo couldn't say a word. If he said no one was in the library with him last night he would be lying, and lying was not acceptable.  
  
"Yeah, wouldn't want to be too predictable," Duo said, forcing a nervous chuckle.  
  
Zechs looked at Duo and was about to add something, but just then a servant came in and handed the prince a note. Zechs read it quickly and then looked up at his companions.  
  
"My apologies, but I'll need to cut this breakfast short. I have some unexpected visitors."  
  
"Of course, Zechs," Noin said. "I hope it's nothing serious."  
  
"No, no, some well-wishers from one of the villages have arrived and I want to give them my full attention."  
  
"Then we'll postpone our security meeting?" Noin proposed.  
  
"Yes, but only an hour or so," Zechs said, setting his cloth napkin on the table and leaning over to kiss Duo on the cheek. "I'll have a look at my schedule for this afternoon. Maybe we can work something out."  
  
Duo smiled, hesitantly. He was glad for the possibility of spending time with Zechs, but surprised at his pleasant tone.  
  
After Zechs left with Relena close on his heels, it wasn't long before Noin and Heero got up to leave.  
  
Heero leaned over the table and grabbed a croissant from the tray, making eye contact with Duo.  
  
Duo's brow furrowed as he looked up into those blue, blue eyes. "What are you doing?"  
  
"You can't keep all the croissants to yourself," Heero said, knowing very well that Duo was not referring to the breakfast leftover.  
  
Duo's mouth opened to reply, but then snapped shut. That comment sounded remarkably like a joke. Had Heero developed a sense of humor? But the other boy turned and was headed out the door before Duo could gather his wits enough to ask.  
  
Left to his own devices, Duo decided to make good on his promise to learn the history of the Sank Kingdom. Besides, the distraction would do him good. Within minutes he was in the library, closing the door behind him. Safely alone, he set his indecision aside once again.  
  
It didn't take him long to make a selection from the shelves. He chose a red leather bound volume titled, in gold lettering, "The Peacecraft Dynasty." Leaning against the desk, he slowly turned the pages until he came to an image of the first Peacecraft monarch, Renalto Peacecraft, a man who had unified the nation over five hundred years ago. Though the man had auburn hair, his slender face and clear, blue eyes were remarkably like Zechs's.  
  
Further along, Duo found a fold-out chart, showing the Royal family tree. The Peacecraft lineage had been enhanced by marriages with nobles and royalty from neighboring countries. This was truly a dynasty.  
  
How can I possibly fit into this? Duo wondered. There would certainly never be a place on that family tree for him. He could not marry Zechs in the traditional sense, nor could he bear his children. So what I am doing here?  
  
The realization brought tears to Duo's eyes. Zechs wasn't just playing at being a prince, he truly was, and one who would ascend to the throne of Sank. Duo's lover would one day become King Milliardo Peacecraft. People would refer to him as His Majesty and expect him to fulfill the myriad of duties associated with that position. Even if the people of Sank were open to the idea of their king having a male consort, Duo didn't have the faintest idea how to fit that role... or even if he wanted to. There was nothing equal about being a consort to a king, and if the past few days were any indication, that relationship would be strained by lack of privacy.  
  
Duo knew then, that even if Heero hadn't been thrown into the mix, he and Zechs would have had their own difficulties to face. That in time, this crazy imbalance in their relationship would have affected them on a fundamental level.  
  
He closed the book and set it down on the desk, lowering his head as his heart grew heavy. "King Milliardo," he said, softly.  
  
A swoosh and a flash of movement brought Duo's head up. There, on the green marble floor, lay a cream-colored envelope. He rushed to the door and threw it open, poking his head into the hall, but no one was there. Whoever had slid that note under the door was damn fast.  
  
Retreating back into the library, Duo picked up the envelope, turning it this way and that. It didn't have a name or any other identifying mark on the outside of it, but that wasn't going to stop him from opening it. He tore the envelope and pulled out a slip of paper. With a slight hesitation he unfolded the paper and felt his stomach flip when he saw the handwriting.  
  
"Heero!"  
  
Meet me in the garden. Under the ivy. Please. H.  
  
"What is this, national note writing day?" Duo chuckled.  
  
But his pounding heart belied the joke. Heero must have delivered it himself, and now Duo was faced with yet another indication of Heero's determination. If anyone knew how focused Heero could be on a project, it was Duo. When Heero had turned his focus on him, to their lovemaking those weeks in Arabia, Duo had thought he'd died and gone to heaven. It had been complete bliss. Well, almost. Duo had also been aware of Heero's professional boredom that no doubt became one of the reasons he had bolted so enthusiastically when Relena had called.  
  
We can't go back to that, Duo thought as he held the note tight in his hand.  
  
There was no question in Duo's mind that he would meet Heero in the garden. It was more than just curiosity in what Heero might say or do next. It was a deep need to see the other boy again. Duo tucked the note in his back pocket. The action giving him a tingle, a little flash of memory, and then he was out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Artemis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Heero sat on a stone bench under the ivy canopy. The cool stone beneath him and the cool shade around him chilled his skin, and he thought to remember this spot later in the day when the sun's heat would be at its peak intensity.   
  
The dark, green leaves of the ivy were shielding and comforting in their dominance here. This part of the garden seemed forgotten it was so far removed from the palace and the main gardens. There was no crushed gravel path lined with ornamental shrubs leading here, but Heero knew Duo would find him.   
  
One of Duo's quirks was casing a place when he first arrived. He would've made a great fire marshal, checking all the exits and routes of escape. Perhaps this little habit had been abandoned now so many months after the war, but Heero doubted it. Duo had a way of doing things and not even realizing he was doing them. A sort of sub-routine that ran in Duo's programming, hidden by the many layers that made up his complex personality.   
  
Heero sighed. Certainly Duo could find him out here, but would he want to?   
  
Last night had been a very long night. After seeing Duo kiss Zechs and then disappear into their room, Heero went back to his own room and lay down on the bed. He tried to fall asleep, but he could not stop himself from thinking of Duo. It didn't matter if his eyes were open or closed, he saw Duo. In those ruminations, Heero remembered the blood, death and destruction of the war, but also the happier times when he and Duo had carved out moments together. Their missions and their moods hadn't always coincided, but when they did there had been fireworks between them.   
  
The sound of soft steps on the grass footpath, and the murmuring of a voice brought Heero back to the moment.   
  
Duo took a deep breath and ducked inside the overgrown enclosure. It was shades darker in there, despite the morning sun, but his eyes adjusted quickly. He saw Heero at once. The other boy stood and his crisp white shirt, and pressed tan slacks and black shoes looked out of place in this rustic setting.   
  
"You're here," Heero said, managing to disguise the excitement in his belly.   
  
Duo nodded and intentionally bit his tongue to stop himself from making a snide remark. Sarcasm was his usual cover for nervousness, but he didn't think it right this morning.   
  
He looked about the space, trying to act casual and pretend that nothing had happened between them last night. He had wrestled with the memory of their encounter all night. Even in Zechs's arms, Duo had drifted back to the moment of that kiss, to the press of their bodies together. The fact that Heero still had power over him made Duo angry and confused. It wasn't fair. He had worked hard to begin again.   
  
"Yep, I'm here," Duo finally said, becoming even more nervous as Heero just stared at him.   
  
Heero was still in shock that Duo had actually shown. That note had been a gamble. If Duo hadn't come to the garden, then Heero would have tried something else. They had to keep talking if they were going to work this out.   
  
"Thanks," Heero said, and then gestured for Duo to sit with him.   
  
The bench looked tempting, but Duo only frowned. He could sit and chat with Heero, but there were still too many unanswered questions to feel all chummy again.   
  
"Or we can stand..."   
  
"Do you really love me?" Duo asked, the question shooting out like a bullet.   
  
Heero nearly flinched from the force of the question. It was as if it had been waiting on Duo's tongue since the night before.   
  
"Yes," Heero said with conviction. There was something of a painful look in Duo's eyes...   
  
"How do you know you love me?" Duo asked, his arms folding over his chest.   
  
Again, a question used like a weapon. For Duo these questions were the root of everything. He had to know what Heero was thinking. He had to know if the declaration from the night before had only been said out of loneliness. And for Heero, these were the questions for which he had only recently discovered answers, and possibly not full answers at that.   
  
Seeing Duo's posture closed and hearing a slight tremor in his voice, Heero delayed his response. He wanted to find the right words to hold Duo to that spot... no, to make him come closer.   
  
"Some say you shouldn't judge a person based on a first impression," Heero began, his eyes fixed on the slender young man in blue jeans before him. "But in war your first impression can be the only one you get. What you decide in those first few seconds can make the difference between dying and completing your mission."   
  
Duo gave a derisive snort and toss of his head. Leave it to Heero to think that the alternative to dying was not living, but completing your mission. And what did this have to do with Heero knowing he loved him anyway?   
  
The reaction was noted, but Heero was undeterred. He was accustomed to Duo's diverging opinions.   
  
"Do you know what my first impression was of you?" he asked, studying Duo's face closely.   
  
Duo didn't know, but it had to be something horrible, since the first few months of knowing Heero had been so full of animosity.   
  
"No?" Heero asked, understanding Duo's hesitation. "I thought you were bold as hell... and fast."   
  
Duo's lips curved in a half smile. "I always did make a great entrance."   
  
The cocky tone and little smile warmed Heero. He liked this Duo. The one who always managed to take care of himself, and was so damn entertaining in the process.   
  
"Of course," Heero continued, "I appended that list to include annoying, loud-mouthed and a liability."   
  
"Hey!" Duo shouted as he set his fists to his hips. "Maybe you've forgotten who you're talking to," he said, now pointing accusingly. "I could've killed you that day...."   
  
"But you didn't," Heero said, feeling confident again. The rhythm of this conversation was like so many they had shared before. "Just like I didn't kill you when I thought you had jeopardized my mission."   
  
An involuntary shiver raced through Duo. Though he and Heero had never discussed that day in the OZ prison cell, he knew exactly what Heero was talking about. Duo had been injured and was being held captive by OZ. Heero had broken in, seemingly to rescue him, but then pointed a gun at his face. Their eyes had met across the barrel of Heero's gun, and Duo had quickly realized it was no rescue.   
  
"Why didn't you... shoot?" Duo asked, his eyes wide with the memory, and his body suddenly less defensive in posture.   
  
Heero took a step forward, coming within an arm span of his former lover. "I found a reason to keep you alive... I told myself that you were still needed for the good of the mission. But it wasn't that... It was those damn eyes of yours... and the disbelief in your voice." Heero paused, taking several breaths. His heart was beating faster with the adrenaline of that day and the decision he had made. "I can't explain it, but something changed... something inside of me said the mission wasn't everything."   
  
Duo's eyes widened. "You risked being caught for me," he said, softly, remembering the escape that followed.   
  
"Hn," Heero nodded and took a step back to sit down, but Duo caught him by the wrist.   
  
The momentum of Heero's body was stopped. He stared at the hand holding his wrist and felt warmth race all the way up to his face.   
  
"It wasn't long after that... you first kissed me," Duo said, almost shyly.   
  
Heero looked up, meeting Duo's eyes and then stood fully again. "That's right," he said, and swallowed. Did Duo want him to kiss him again now?   
  
"Why didn't we ever talk about the war?" Duo asked, gently releasing Heero's wrist.   
  
"I don't know," Heero said, regretting the loss of touch. "Probably for the same reason we never talked about how we felt about each other."   
  
Duo nodded.   
  
At Quatre's, everyone had carefully avoided the topic of war, choosing to keep conversations light. Each young man had his own baggage of pain to sort through, and the prospect of sharing those raw emotions had been daunting to the young friends.   
  
"Duo, things got real intense for you and me after the war. Maybe... maybe Relena was a good excuse."   
  
"I knew it. You wanted to get away from me," Duo accused.   
  
"No," Heero said, sweetly, taking a small step forward. "I know it appeared that way, but I just needed things to slow down."   
  
The mild tone in Heero's voice helped Duo to understand. Heero was not looking for excuses, he was truly trying to sort things out. Obviously he had been thinking about what had happened between them.   
  
"I didn't mean for this job to split us apart," Heero added. "That last night when we argued, I was confused about what I wanted."   
  
"You wanted to make love," Duo said as his cheeks flushed.   
  
"Yes," Heero said, swallowing nervously. "I wanted that, but..."   
  
"But what you really wanted was to talk," Duo finished.   
  
Heero nodded, remembering their last night together. Once again he could not understand why he had let his pride take him out of that room and out of that house. But now he was standing here with Duo, in this beautiful, forgotten garden, and Duo was looking at him with those impossibly large eyes.   
  
"I wish we could've talked like we are now," Heero said.   
  
"Yeah," Duo said, looking into Heero's eyes. Those were the eyes from his dreams, the dark blue eyes that could hold him in place, breathless and warm.   
  
Heero was standing so close, just inches away, and the thrill of connecting like this in words and good energy set Duo's chest to burning. The heat radiated out, taking him over, making him want... making him ache. He reached for Heero, grabbing the boy's waist and a fist full of shirt and pulling him in tight. Their bodies and their lips came together as Heero returned the fierce embrace.   
  
Duo, Duo...   
  
The moment was rough, frantic in the desperation of young lovers. Why had they separated? How could they stand to be apart a moment longer? Little whimpers and moans escaped through the bruising kisses as they remembered just how good it had been.   
  
Oh, God, Heero...   
  
** Beep. Beep. **   
  
The low, tonal sound cut through the pleasant hum of nature around them, snapping Duo out of his frenzy. What was that? He broke away from the tangle of bodies, gasping and stumbling back.   
  
"Fuck," he said, looking up at Heero and hearing the strange sound again.   
  
** Beep. Beep. ** It was Heero's radio.   
  
Heero looked down at the device, hanging lightly from his belt and then back at Duo. Not now! He didn't want to be called back to duty now!   
  
"Go on," Duo said, breathless. "Answer it, for God's sake."   
  
Slowly, Heero gathered his wits, bringing the radio to his lips. "Heero here."   
  
"This is Noin. Zechs is ready for the security tour now."   
  
Two sets of blue eyes met and locked over the small, black transmitter. The ivy canopy suddenly seeming more like an OZ prison cell than a secret garden.   
  
"Do your duty," Duo whispered unhappily, as he hooked a stray piece of hair behind his ear.   
  
Heero swallowed and schooled his features. It was the same old problem---duty or love---but he felt he had no choice. "I'll be right there," he told Noin and re-clipped the radio to his belt. "I'm sorry..."   
  
"No," Duo said, holding up his hand. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have done that."   
  
Heero felt his heart sink away, bottoming out through his shoes and slipping away into the earth beneath him. Why would Duo apologize for a kiss like that?   
  
"I want you to know," Heero began hesitantly, his voice choked, "that I am sorry... for everything."   
  
Duo lifted his chin and swallowed hard, tears welling in his eyes. A terrible weight was pressing on his shoulders as he felt this encounter collapsing into ashes. "You don't have to be sorry... for everything," Duo said in a mix of anger and regret as he clenched his fists to stop his hands from trembling.   
  
Heero nodded. "Then there's hope that maybe someday you'll forgive me."   
  
Duo turned away just as a tear fell down his cheek. He didn't want Heero to see him cry or to know just how deep the hurt had gone.   
  
Heero's eyes drifted down the length of Duo's braid, his fingers twitching at the memory of its weight and softness. Oh, the things that Duo could do with that braid... As much as Heero wanted to resolve this now, lay it all on the line, he needed to be on his way. And so, he turned and walked away, retreating quietly back to the palace and to his duties.   
  
+  
  
"The security measures are more than adequate," Zechs said as he and his security team exited the computer control room. "I appreciate the subtlety of the system. We would not want to appear unwelcoming to those visiting Sank."   
  
"Thank you, that was our intention," Noin said as she and the others followed Zechs into the main corridor.   
  
"Is there anything else you needed to show me?" Zechs asked.   
  
"That's everything on my list," Noin said, scanning her notepad quickly. Then looking to the chief security advisor added, "Did we miss anything?"   
  
"No," Heero said, meeting her eyes. "But we need to follow-up on linking the border posts."   
  
Though he had answered every question thrown his way during the inspection with care and thoroughness, Heero's thoughts were elsewhere. His mind kept replaying his encounter with Duo, making Heero second-guess the things he had said and done. Part of him wanted to believe that Duo was on the verge of taking him back. Clearly they were still drawn to each other and those kisses, they were all fire and need. But another part of him--more persistent in his thoughts--said that he had lost. Duo had moved on and was doing well for himself in his new life. Any attraction that remained was merely embers from the past.   
  
"Thank you for your efforts," Zechs was saying as Heero came back to the moment. The group had paused at the juncture of three corridors and was in the process of ending their tour. "I am very impressed."   
  
Noin smiled proudly. She had put a great deal of herself into protecting the Sank Kingdom both during and after the war and it delighted her to be receiving this praise from Zechs. "It's been a challenge, but an enjoyable one," she said sincerely.   
  
Heero merely nodded. He was never comfortable with compliments, preferring just to be left alone to do his job.   
  
"I'm meeting with Relena now concerning the new university," Noin said, her eyes intent on Zechs. "Perhaps you could join us to look over the plans."

"Maybe later, Noin," Zechs said, with an encouraging smile. "Right now I need to speak with Heero."   
  
"Oh," Noin said, giving Heero an appraising look. "Well, feel free to join us... when you can."   
  
It wasn't easy putting off his duties. But there was something Zechs needed to take care of first, a problem he could not delay in facing.   
  
"Thank you, Noin. I will," Zechs said and watched her turn and leave.   
  
He and Noin had been very close in their Academy days and to a lesser degree during the war. Though they had never been lovers, Zechs had always been aware of her willingness. Unfortunately the timing had never been right and now it seemed there was not even time for friendship.   
  
"Heero," Zechs said, turning to the one member of the security team remaining. "If you have a moment." He gestured for Heero to walk with him.   
  
Heero nodded and stepped beside the taller man. They walked silently down the corridor, uneasy in each other's presence. At the end of the corridor they came to a set of double doors. Zechs stood before them, placing his hands on the door handles, but not going in.   
  
"What is it?" Heero asked, his brow furrowing at Zechs's hesitation.   
  
Zechs glanced at Heero and then back at the door. "Old rivalries," he said, throwing the doors open to reveal their destination---the training hall for ancient armaments.   
  
Heero did not have a chance to question the response as he was taken aback by the bright midday sun, streaming in through tall windows. The light was almost painful in its intensity, causing him to squint and turn his face away momentarily.   
  
Unaffected by the light, Zechs strode into the room confidently. The hall was long, with a high ceiling, and polished wooden floors. On three walls hung the implements of war. Sharpened, glistening weapons of hand-to-hand combat. This was where Zechs would make his stand. In the place where he had learned to defend himself with foil and spear so many years ago.   
  
He walked a few paces along one row of weapons and then turned to see Heero standing just inside the door. "Some would find it ironic for a peace-loving nation to have a room such as this."   
  
Heero raised an eyebrow, wondering at Zechs's meaning. "Weapons can be used for aggression or defense."   
  
"Yes," Zechs said, removing one pike from the wall. "Weapons such as this were used to defend the Sankian border many generations ago. A time long before mobile suits and vernier rockets."   
  
Heero folded his arms over his chest. "You brought me here for a history lesson?"   
  
Zechs laughed. "Perhaps you don't need one," he said, replacing the pike on the wall. "If Relena is correct, you've read nearly one hundred books on Sankian history."   
  
Heero's eyes narrowed. "That's right."   
  
"And yet it seems that not all of her information about you is correct," Zechs said, circling round to Heero's left.   
  
Not moving a muscle, Heero followed Zechs out of the corner of his eye. This conversation was quickly turning into a confrontation. "What are you getting at?"   
  
"You've read all those books and have spent virtually every evening in the Royal library... except for last night," Zechs said, his voice revealing a slight edge.   
  
"That's right," Heero said, flatly.   
  
Zechs seethed at the lie. He had seen the truth in the blush of Duo's cheeks that morning. Whether planned or by accident, the two had met in the library last night. And though Duo was uncomfortable with lies, obviously Heero was not.   
  
"You will stay away from Duo," Zechs commanded in a tone he had used for his troops in war.   
  
"I can't do that," Heero said, turning to face the man fully. It was going to take a hell of a lot more than a simple command from Zechs to get Heero to stop his pursuit of Duo.   
  
Zechs studied his rival. So once again he and Heero were at odds. Then so be it. He removed his jacket and reached for a sword from the wall, grasping it in his right hand and slicing the air with its blade.   
  
Heero lifted his chin, not intimidated. "I've told Duo that I love him."   
  
"What would you know about love?" Zechs asked with a chuckle. "I put the pieces of his life back together after you walked out on him."   
  
Heero found that hard to believe. Maybe Duo had been lonely and looking for companionship, but surely he didn't need Zechs to put his life back together. Duo was the most resourceful and resilient person Heero knew.   
  
Another swoosh of Zechs's sword and Heero knew he had better choose his weapon. He grabbed a similar sword, but held it down, leaving himself open to attack.   
  
The thrill of the impending duel rushed through Zechs's veins like fire. This was the side of himself he had tried to forget, his warrior self that he could not fully explain. And yet he reveled in this self, the Lightning Count whose speed and fearlessness were legendary.   
  
Since surviving the last battle of the war, Zechs had known he would confront Heero Yuy again. Though the cause of their rivalry had changed, the animosity was familiar, echoing the battles they had fought in Siberia, Antarctica and in space.   
  
"A duel to the end?" Heero asked, lifting his blade as well.   
  
"I see old habits are hard to change," Zechs said, with a small smile. "But I am not interested in spilling blood. This is a gentleman's duel. The first to disarm the other wins."   
  
"Agreed," Heero said.   
  
The agreement had been barely made when Zechs saluted with his weapon and then lunged forward, striking at Heero. The smaller man blocked the attack, their swords connecting for a split second before Heero spun around and out of reach. A moment later, Heero was advancing in his own attempt at knocking Zechs's blade from his hand.   
  
+  
  
The green embraced Duo like a cocoon, sheltering him from the growing heat of the day and the tumult of his heart. He sank down onto a grassy patch and put his head in his hands. Questions flooded his mind even as memories of Heero's words and the taste of his lips came back to Duo. Heero had spoken of apology, forgiveness and love, and even joked. At each encounter he had risked Duo's bark and his bite, and yet he had come back for more.   
  
"Masochist," Duo spat.   
  
Heero always had been anxious to die in battle. He probably would have enjoyed the pain Duo had inflicted on the pillows in effigy. And yet, when Heero had asked Duo to hit him, Duo could not. He was worn out from his anger and hurt and now desperately wanted it to end.   
  
Remembering the note, Duo slipped his hand in his back pocket and pulled out the folded paper. _Meet me... under the ivy,_ it read. He looked over the handwriting, Heero's fast and semi-legible script. The words had set Duo's heart to pounding and he had been in motion in no time, anxious to see Heero again, and as it turned out, anxious to talk and to embrace passionately.   
  
It was clear to Duo, sitting here surrounded by green and bird song that he loved Heero... very much. So what was stopping him from taking the other boy back?   
  
Fear, Duo thought with a shudder.   
  
The frightened child within was battling the maturing young man. One hesitant and seeking shelter and the other brash and willing to gamble. But who would win? It was easy being tough as nails when you had a thermal scythe backing you up, but standing on your own, with your heart on your sleeve was another thing entirely.   
  
"Life was a hell of a lot simpler with Deathscythe at my side," Duo said, wiping the moisture from his eyes.   
  
But was it his Gundam that had made him the God of Death? Was it the firepower at his fingertips that had made him unafraid? No, of course not. Deathscythe had helped him to free the colonies, but it was Duo's own spark, his own rebellious, fiery heart that had led him into the thick of the fighting. Or in Heero's words the fact that he was "bold as hell." Remembering the compliment made Duo smile. Heero didn't hand out compliments every day, and it was nice to hear he had made an impression on Heero from the start.   
  
He looked at the note once more. Heero was gambling. He had no way of knowing if Duo would accept his invitation, if he would show up only to scorn him or if he would show Zechs the note. God, what would Zechs do if he found out they had met secretly? Twice! And yet Zechs had come very close to learning of their rendezvous in the library. The overly chatty Relena conversed more like a gossip columnist than a princess.   
  
Duo needed to make a decision and now. He could not allow this situation to drag on, straining and complicating three people's lives. He had to face his fears.   
  
"Heero," he said, closing his eyes as the name formed on his lips.   
  
He loved Heero. Despite everything... the hurt, the rejection, and fears for the future. Heero was his heart, his equal in life and in passion. Duo could try to deny it, and he had, but he would never be able to douse the flame that burned only for Heero.   
  
"Okay," Duo said with a firm nod and a conviction worthy of going into battle. "I'll take a chance and tell Heero I love him. And he damn well better come through for me or I'll kill him."   
  
With the decision came a relief and lightness of heart that Duo hadn't felt in months. He got up from the ground, tucking the note back into his pocket and smiling with the exhilaration of a new day. He couldn't wait to find Heero and tell him he was ready to start again, ready to take that risk.   
  
Duo rushed from the enclosure, jogging back to the palace with his braid flying behind him. He entered through a rear door, taking a shortcut through an empty reception room to the main corridor. Now all he needed was to locate Heero. Where would he be at this time of day? It was right about the noon hour, but Heero didn't normally stop for lunch. He liked to work straight through the day. Then Duo remembered. Heero had been called back to the palace for the security tour with Zechs... Zechs!   
  
Duo's steps slowed as his heart filled with regret. Shit, he would have to face Zechs. How could he ever tell Zechs his decision? Zechs had seduced him, courted him and eventually told him of his love for him. In another world, another time, Duo might have fallen for Zechs and fallen hard. He was an incredible man, but Duo's heart was already spoken for and every fiber of his being told him that Heero was the one for him.   
  
The lightness in Duo's step was now gone. He trudged along cautiously through the marble halls, his eyes darting about, expecting Zechs and Heero at every turn. It would be just his luck to bump into them while the security check was still in progress.   
  
As he came to the junction of three corridors, Duo was stopped short as a servant brushed passed him in a hurry.   
  
"Hey!" Duo shouted.   
  
"Sorry!" the young man called back, continuing at a near sprint down the hall.   
  
Duo scratched his head. That was the most life he had seen in any of the servants. Usually everyone moved at a snail's pace... polite, but damn slow.   
  
Before Duo could set off again on his tentative search, two more servants dashed by.   
  
"What's going on?" Duo asked as they breezed past.   
  
"There's a duel!" one shouted, excitedly.   
  
"Oh, yeah? Who's dueling?" Duo asked, half amused. It sounded so... aristocratic.   
  
"Prince Milliardo," one said.   
  
"And that Gundam pilot!" the other servant added.   
  
Duo gulped. Zechs and Heero were dueling?   
  
"Shit!" Duo said, and was instantly in motion.   
  
At the end of the hall, Duo found a sizeable grouping of onlookers. The double doors to the training hall were open wide, and crowded into the doorway were no less than two dozen servants and palace guards. The distinct clash of metal could be heard above their excited murmuring, but there was no way for Duo to see over or through the wall of bodies in front of him.   
  
Another clash of swords and a shout came from the hall, the onlookers "oohed" in appreciation.   
  
"That's it, I gotta see!" Duo exclaimed and began to push his way through the crowd.   
  
They stood five deep, and it took every ounce of determination for Duo to wriggle and force his way between each person. Half way to the front of the line, Duo heard the taunts of each man.   
  
"Without your Gundam you've lost your flair," he heard Zechs say.   
  
"Do you always need an audience when you fight?" Heero asked, sarcastically.   
  
Their voices were rough and breathless with exertion and a quality Duo knew too well... battle adrenaline.   
  
With one last push, Duo spilled out of the mass of bodies. He quickly regained his balance and absorbed the scene before him... a large room dominated by two powerful and very focused warriors.   
  
"What the fuck," Duo said, finding it hard to believe. What had triggered this confrontation? Had the security check gone that badly?   
  
Both Zechs and Heero looked as though they had been fighting intensely for some time. Hair clung damp to their faces and their shirts were soaked with sweat, and yet their eyes glistened with the determination of defeating an old enemy.   
  
Duo looked over his shoulder at those gathered. Wasn't anyone going to stop this? They were Zechs's staff... his servants and guards. Of course, they would only interfere if they thought their prince was in danger. Obviously they were secure in the knowledge that Zechs would win, but at what cost?   
  
Duo spun back around, eyes wide as Zechs lunged forward in another attack. Duo had every faith that Heero could hold his own, but he couldn't just stand here watching the man he loved risk injury.   
  
"I've got to stop this," Duo said, stepping forward.   
  
Some of the onlookers called out to him, "What are you doing?" "You'll get hurt!" But Duo was determined to bring an end to this ridiculous rivalry.   
  
"Hey, you two! The war's over!" he shouted as he came within twenty paces of the duel.   
  
They seemed not to hear him as Heero blocked the attack and then pushed Zechs back with not one, but three strikes of his sword. Each blow dealt with force and snarling teeth.   
  
"What the hell are you doing?" Duo asked, calling out to them both. "We're all on the same side now!"   
  
His attempt at halting the fight was met by a flash of intense eyes from Zechs and a growl from Heero. Duo took a half step back. This was not a game, this was the war all over again. Duo knew there was only one way to be heard in the middle of a battle and that was to jump into the fray and make a big splash.   
  
He walked away, scanning the weapons on the wall. He'd choose one and then they'd have to listen to him! This old rivalry had to stop!   
  
Heero circled wide, the pause allowing him to catch his breath and calculate his next move. Duo's appearance in the hall had set Heero's heart to pounding even harder. If he was going to win he could not be distracted, and he would win this for the both of them.   
  
"You have no chance of winning, Zechs," Heero said in a harsh, flat tone.   
  
"On the contrary, I have every chance," Zechs said, his eyes glancing to Duo's retreating form. It was unfortunate that Duo had come upon their battle, but perhaps he could use that to his advantage. "There is nothing you can offer him!"   
  
Heero snarled. "You'll suffocate him in this gilded cage!"   
  
"Huh?" Duo turned back to the duel, his mouth agape. Were they talking about him?

"I should've killed you in Antarctica," Heero said, circling closer to Zechs, nearly ready for his next attack. "Then you wouldn't be in the way now."   
  
"You're the one confusing him. Duo was happy until you came back into his life."   
  
"What the---" Duo said, dumbfounded. This fight was over him?   
  
"Funny, he didn't seem unhappy when he was kissing me this morning," Heero said, half smiling with the confession.   
  
Zechs's eyes narrowed on his opponent. So Heero had dared to meet with Duo again. "A mere trifle considering that he's been in my bed for the last two months," Zechs shot back.   
  
"Hey!" Duo shouted in protest. His face was red with anger and embarrassment as he looked from the duel to the ogling bystanders. He rushed to one of the open doors and tried to close them out. "Get the hell out of here!"   
  
Shocked by his display of emotion and sheer force of will, a portion of the group stepped back, and Duo was able to close and bolt one door. He hurried to the other side, and began swinging that door shut as well, needing desperately to close out the world as he prepared to deal with his lovers privately.   
  
Just then Noin and Relena burst into the room.   
  
"We just heard..." Noin said as she looked from Duo to the duel. "Oh my God, it's true!"   
  
"Milliardo! Heero!" Relena called as she rushed in, distressed to see the two men she cared most about battling each other. "Stop this foolishness immediately!"   
  
Duo rolled his eyes, knowing her pleas would be unheard. "This doesn't concern you."   
  
"I thought their rivalry ended with the war..." Noin was saying, but then shut her mouth as the taunts began to fly between the warring parties once again.   
  
"It's time for you to give Duo up and find a new hobby," Heero said, with much resentment.   
  
"And how long will you fuck him this time before you walk out on him... again?" Zechs replied, angrily.   
  
The pair clashed once again, their swords connecting and ringing out with the high ping of metal on metal.   
  
"You sons of bitches!" Duo cried out as he stalked forward, blood boiling in his veins. He would tear them apart, limb from limb with his bare hands. Anything to stop this bullshit.   
  
Noin was on Duo in an instant, grabbing his arms from behind and jerking him away from the fight. "Stay out of this, Duo," she said, her tone a warning.   
  
"You stay out of it!" Duo yelled as he worked to break free of her grasp.   
  
Zechs and Heero were fighting over him as if he were a trophy to be won. How dare they think that his heart could be secured by a duel! He was horrified that they would have so little respect for him. Maybe he was just a bed warmer after all...   
  
Duo twisted out of Noin's hold, stumbling back and onto his ass. He hit the wooden floor hard. Damn them all. Damn Zechs for using him as a convenient fuck and damn Heero for making Duo think that things could be different between them.   
  
"I'm outa here," Duo said, trembling with rage as he got to his feet. "They can kill each other for all I care."   
  
"Duo don't..." Noin said, reaching out and trying to delay his departure. Despite what she felt for Zechs, she knew that Duo made him happy.   
  
Duo slapped her hand away as he tore out of the hall. He had been insulted enough for one day.   
  
With Duo gone, Noin turned to calming Relena.   
  
"Have the guards stop this!" Relena demanded.   
  
"Oh, Miss Relena, this needs to run its course or they'll never resolve their rivalry."   
  
Relena huffed in frustration. She had never understood the need for violence.   
  
Zechs and Heero were equally matched, and there was no doubt that this duel could drag on for hours. Their match in Antarctica had gone on for three hours before being interrupted by Relena and an army of OZ mobile suits. This time it seemed that nothing would stop them from settling their rivalry once and for all. The winner would gain more than just bragging rights, he could make demands.   
  
"I'm growing bored of this contest," Zechs said, dismissing Heero as though suddenly not a worthy opponent.   
  
"Then finish it... if you can," Heero dared.   
  
Zechs gave a feral grin and then with explosive speed bolted forward, swinging his sword down on Heero. The move was so fast and so unlike the others Zechs had used that Heero was caught off guard. He jumped aside and turned, but not in time. His left arm was grazed by Zechs's blade slicing through his white shirt and into his skin.   
  
The sight of blood made Relena scream, but Noin held her back from running into the fray.   
  
Zechs attacked again, not waiting for Heero to recover from the flash of pain racing down his arm. This time he came in from Heero's right and strategically went for the grip of his opponent's blade. Zechs's sword slid past Heero's hand and hooked under the guard, and then Zechs swung out, yanking the sword out of Heero's hand. The sword flew high into the air, tumbling over end to end until it hit the floor with a clatter.   
  
Heero stared at it disbelieving until he registered the feel of cold metal at his throat. His eyes turned back to Zechs who held his sword to Heero's neck.   
  
"The duel is over," Zechs said, his tone no less threatening than it had been during the conflict.   
  
"And once again we've proven our weakness to fight," Heero said.   
  
Zechs gave a toss of his head, clearing the hair from his eyes. "It's over, Heero," he repeated.   
  
"Please don't hurt him, Milliardo!" Relena cried from across the room.   
  
Zechs glanced at his sister. No, he would not hurt Heero... physically. That kind of pain meant nothing to soldiers such as them.   
  
"Are you prepared for the terms of your surrender?" Zechs asked, purposefully choosing the language of war.   
  
"You won honorably," Heero said, accepting the fact that he was in no position to argue.   
  
"Then listen carefully, Heero Yuy... We may well meet again, but it will never be on Sankian soil. This is a peaceful nation and as such, I hereby exile you from the Sank Kingdom... never to return!"   
  
"No!" Relena cried, tearing away from Lucrezia and running to Heero's side. "Take that back, Milliardo! Heero is my friend and protector!"   
  
"I will protect you now, dear sister," Zechs said, slowly lowering his sword.   
  
Heero stared intently at Zechs. He might have guessed that Zechs would want him out of his life for good... and away from Duo. But Heero also gave Zechs credit, the man understood that the two of them could not live peaceably, and Sank was a peaceful nation.   
  
"He's right, Relena," Heero said, turning to look at the girl. "It's your brother's job to protect you now. Had I known he was alive, I might never have come here."   
  
"Oh, Heero, please don't go... Milliardo will take it back," the girl pleaded with tears in her eyes.   
  
"No, he won't," Heero said, flatly. "We'll see each other again Relena, it just won't be in Sank."   
  
Relena threw her arms around the boy and gave him a fierce hug. "Where will you go?"   
  
"I don't know," Heero said, truthfully.   
  
"The guards will escort you to your room to pack your belongings," Zechs said, softening at the scene before him, but not enough to recant his demands.   
  
Heero nodded at Zechs and then gently pushed Relena away. "I'll be fine," he said and then walked from the hall with the stoicism of a true soldier.   
  
+  
  
The guards never left Heero's side. He was escorted back to his room and given just enough time to throw a few things into his backpack, change his torn shirt and slip on his black jean jacket. No problem, he always did pack light. Then Heero was taken on a circuitous route through the palace, avoiding the busiest corridors, but surprisingly ending up at the grand entryway with Relena waiting.   
  
"I'm sure you didn't expect to see anyone," she said, sadly. "But it's wrong to send you away with no one here."   
  
Heero's mind flashed on the day of Duo's arrival. He had purposely not been present, but it was not for lack of wanting. And now Duo wasn't here to see him off. Oh, that he could have seen Duo one last time....   
  
Relena gave the guards a harsh look, prompting them to step back several paces. With a bit more privacy, she held out her hand, revealing a long, snow-white envelope emblazoned in blue with the official crest of the Peacecraft dynasty.   
  
"This is not charity," she said as she handed it to him. "This is your last month's pay. Please accept it and my fondest wishes for a happy life."   
  
Heero took the envelope and opened it to find several thousand sovereigns. Though it was awkward receiving such a large sum this way, it was owed him, and the cash would come in handy. His previous months' pay had been banked and could be transferred when he had settled in a new place.   
  
"Thank you," he said, barely meeting her eyes.   
  
"Oh, there's one more thing," Relena said brightly, gesturing for him to follow her outside.   
  
A servant opened the ornate door for the princess, and Heero followed her into the sunny day. They stood on the stone landing, a surprisingly cool breeze meeting them.   
  
"Isn't it wonderful?" Relena asked as she breathed in deeply. "I love it when the wind comes in off the sea."   
  
Heero's bangs stirred about his face, but he did not reply. Sank was a beautiful country, but he was in the process of trying to forget it now.   
  
Relena regained her focus and pointed below them to the foot of the steps. "There," she said, her face alight. At the place where the drive curved in to the wide, stone steps was a motorcycle---the type used by the border patrols. "I know you can manage on your own," Relena said with the familiarity of old friends, "but I thought it would be good for you to have your own mode of transportation."   
  
"Does Zechs know about this?" Heero asked, a bit sharply.   
  
Relena giggled. "He may be running this country, but he doesn't need to know everything that goes on!"   
  
Heero couldn't help a little grin. The girl's logic was on target and it was only right that he accept her help this once.   
  
Relena smiled, delighted that her gift was appreciated. "I won't say goodbye, Heero," she said, biting her lower lip to keep it from trembling.   
  
He nodded, slipping the envelope into his pack and then descending to the driveway below. Shit, was he really leaving? Without turning back, he went about his preparations for final departure, securing his pack, donning the helmet and finally mounting the bike. There was a moment's hesitation before he started the engine, his thoughts and his heart racing back to Duo... mapping out how he could get back into the palace and find Duo before anyone could stop him. He shook his head. If Duo wanted him, he would have told Heero by now.   
  
With a final nod to Relena, Heero started the engine and set off on his journey. Relena's eyes had glistened with tears and he thought once again how he admired her determination and bravery. Of course, he felt some relief in knowing that the responsibility for her preservation was now in another's hands. Whether he liked it or not, he was a free man... in more ways than one.   
  
Nearly one mile from the palace, Heero slowed his bike, and despite his better judgment gazed back. The open fields surrounding the palace were blossoming with spring, and the Sankian palace gleamed white in the distance. The tranquil setting belied the struggle that had gone on within, a struggle that had ended with his leaving.   
  
"Duo... please...."   
  
Heero said, nearly begging for his lover to return to him. He had done everything possible to help Duo see the change inside of him. Now it was time to let Duo go, and so a different plea formed on Heero's lips and he whispered it into the breeze...   
  
"Please, Duo... be happy."   
  
With a hard swallow and the shedding of a single tear, Heero turned away from Sank for good, heading out onto the open road.   
  
+  
  
Despite his great victory, Zechs was not in the mood to receive congratulations from his staff. He was exhausted and pushed through the circle of admirers with nods and half smiles. All he wanted right now was a hot, scented bath, a bottle of his best champagne, and a very naked and wet Duo to enjoy it with. Thoughts of his lover stirred Zechs back to life when only moments before he doubted he could walk back to his suite of his own volition.   
  
Zechs headed upstairs contemplating how he would spend the rest of the day fucking Duo, his Duo, and making a final claim on him. Now there would be no more Heero to interfere and to distract. Duo would settle down and they could begin making a life together in Sank.   
  
That little fantasy lasted until Zechs opened the door into his Royal suite. The once pristine chamber was now torn apart. The bed linens were stripped from the bed, the draperies askew, and every drawer open and its contents---clothing and otherwise---tumbled onto the floor. It looked quite literally as though a storm had torn through the room... and in seconds, Zechs would meet that storm.   
  
"Stupid, fucking, no good, son of a bitch...," came the litany of profanity from the bathroom.   
  
Zechs straightened. Okay, maybe he shouldn't have expected a victor's welcome.   
  
"Duo?" Zechs called, tentatively.   
  
A second later, Duo emerged from the bathroom with his duffel bag in hand and a look on his face that Zechs had never seen before... one a mix of frazzled nerves, grief and wild anger. Duo flashed Zechs a threatening glare and then set his bag down and proceeded to look through the piles of clothes on the floor.   
  
"You're leaving?" Zechs asked, confused.   
  
"Where the fuck's my cap?" Duo replied snappishly, ignoring the question.   
  
"Your cap?" Zechs asked. Why was Duo acting this way?   
  
"Yeah, my fucking black cap!" Duo shouted, pointing to his head, but not looking up.   
  
Zechs blinked. "That's why you've torn apart our room?"   
  
Duo shot up, standing tall for all of five feet, one inch. "You mean YOUR room! I am so gone..."   
  
"You're upset about the duel?" Zechs reasoned.   
  
Duo sighed heavily. "Oh, gee, I can't imagine why," he said, sarcastically. "It's not like I should mind being treated like a commodity."   
  
"You could never be that..."   
  
"Oh, no? Well, you and Heero sure made it clear that I'm a Grade A piece of meat!" 

Zechs took a step back, appalled that Duo would think such a thing. Zechs believed the duel had been honorable and he had fairly won the right to continue in his relationship with Duo.   
  
"I'm sorry if that's the impression you..."   
  
"Fuck you, Zechs!" Duo shouted and then returned to his search.   
  
Tears filled Duo's eyes as he continued his frantic hunt. The pain inside him was ripping him apart, and maybe that was why it was so important for him to find his trusty cap. He needed that cap... that one last link to his old self, the God of Death. He knew he had packed it when they had come from Boston just days ago, but he hadn't seen it since. One of the servants must have tucked it away not realizing its importance.   
  
Zechs stared at Duo, watching his jerky, angry movements. Pain was rippling off the young man's tense, slender shoulders. Whatever wrong Zechs had committed it had cut Duo deeply.   
  
"I was going to wait to discuss this with you later," Zechs began, anxious to re-connect with Duo. "I want to appoint you as my official liaison to the Sankian parliament. It would allow us to work together, but also give you a semblance of autonomy... " Zechs's words drifted off as Duo turned his eyes to him, eyes burning with a deep resentment.   
  
"I don't want your charity," Duo said, turning back to stuffing clothes into his bag.   
  
"It's hardly charity. You'd have an official position... your own staff."   
  
Duo stood again and put his hands on his hips. "You don't get it, do you? I heard what you and Heero said... exchanging jibes of your sexual conquests of me. Well, that's bullshit, man! I don't need that crap and I certainly don't need you!"   
  
Zechs shuddered. He was losing Duo.   
  
"I'm sure you can understand that certain things are said in battle to provoke or intimidate an enemy."   
  
"Hell, yeah, I know," Duo agreed, in a surprisingly cordial tone, but that tone didn't last. "I ain't gonna be that ball you volley back n' forth. Duo Maxwell is nobody's plaything! And it might interest you to know that I had already decided I was leaving before I found you fighting."   
  
That was a lot to process, but Zechs could guess why Duo had decided to leave. "To be with Heero?"   
  
As much as Duo wanted to punish Zechs, he didn't have the nerve to tell him, 'yes.' Besides, Heero was now a moot point... null and void.   
  
"I'm not gonna be with anyone," Duo finally said, nearly convulsing with the words. He then took the beautiful watch Zechs had given him off his wrist and held it out in the palm of his hand. "I can't keep this," he said, nervously. This was the part he was dreading, the actual severing of this relationship, a relationship that had had many happy times.   
  
"It's my gift to you," Zechs said, keeping his hands at his sides.   
  
"No, it's too expensive..."   
  
"Duo, I bought that expressly for you," Zechs said, feeling his heart pound hard at the sight of Duo holding that watch out to him. It had been something like a promise between them, though perhaps not as symbolic as a ring. "I want you to have it... always."   
  
"Okay," Duo said, reluctantly. "Thanks. I've always liked it."   
  
Duo put the watch back on and for a moment Zechs believed things would be fine. But the air was all wrong in the room, it hung heavy, crowding him even though the room was obscenely large for two people. He needed to act, to scramble his troops and come in from all sides if he was going to hang onto Duo, the boy with the look of flight in his eyes.   
  
"I can see what you need is a little time to yourself," Zechs said, warmly. "There's a lovely summer retreat up in the mountains..."   
  
Duo shook his head and dropped his gaze to the floor. He couldn't bear to see the pain creeping back into Zechs's eyes.   
  
"This has been a rough few days," Duo said, his voice low, but steady. "Rough for you, me and Heero." At Heero's name, Duo looked up, making eye contact with Zechs.   
  
"And how would you know it's been rough for Heero?" Zechs asked. It had bothered him all along to detect traces of what was surely going on behind his back, and as much as he didn't want to hear it from Duo, he had to ask.   
  
"He told me that he wanted me back," Duo said, his eyes wide and round with the terrible position in which he had been placed.   
  
"And what did you tell him?" Zechs asked with a swallow.   
  
"I didn't tell him anything," Duo said, truthfully.   
  
Zechs considered the answer for a long moment. It was not in Duo's nature to lie, so what was he saying? That he had not said 'yes' to Heero, but also that he had not said 'no.'   
  
"Then, if you're not running off to be with Heero, what are you doing?" Zechs asked.   
  
"I'm just leaving," Duo said with a little shrug. He could see the wheels turning in Zechs's mind and held up his hand to stop the flood of questions that was about to be released. "Look, this isn't easy for me. I like you Zechs, hell, maybe it's even more than like, but I can't do this," he said, throwing up his hands. "Hell, I can't even order out for pizza in this place."   
  
"Well, if it's pizza you want," Zechs said with a small smile.   
  
Duo gave a little chuckle, the anger going out of him. It was just like when he had first met Zechs, he couldn't stay mad at him, or keep that level of hatred up long enough to kill the man. Maybe it was Zechs's charm that so disarmed Duo, or perhaps it was the sadness in his eyes, a sadness that ebbed and flowed through him, constant, but not always at the surface.   
  
When Duo spoke again, his tone was much softer. "I know neither one of us wants to dissect what went wrong..."   
  
"I can tell you what it was," Zechs interrupted.   
  
Duo straightened, surprised. "You can?"   
  
"It's been our problem from the very beginning."   
  
The clue only confused Duo all the more. "You mean about being enemies?"   
  
Zechs shook his head. "You're in love with Heero. You came to me in love with him and you're leaving me still in love with him."   
  
Duo's gaze slipped away.   
  
"Don't feel bad. You made it clear that you loved him, and I still seduced you," Zechs said, reaching out and gently taking hold of Duo's chin.   
  
The boy looked back at him uneasily. "Heero doesn't matter anymore."   
  
"He doesn't?" Zechs asked, skeptically.   
  
Again, the beautiful blue orbs looked away, and Zechs felt his heart breaking. He had been a fool to fall for someone whose heart was already taken, but then how could he have resisted? Duo was a mischievous, captivating blend of manchild who had come into his life at a time when Zechs had thought he would never have another friend in the world. And as much as he yearned to make Duo stay, he would not. Heero had been right. Duo would never be happy in this gilded cage.   
  
"If you are determined to go, would it be wrong of me to make one last request?" Zechs asked, boldly.   
  
Duo looked at him with curiosity plain in his eyes. What did Zechs have in mind? "Go ahead."   
  
Zechs melted at the hesitation. How was it possible that the boy standing before him was one and the same with the war creature, God of Death, who had plagued OZ for so many months?   
  
"Would you allow me to kiss you once more?" he asked, gently, as his thumb caressed Duo's chin.   
  
Slowly, Duo nodded, his eyes growing even more wide and round. He hadn't expected this.   
  
Zechs grinned warmly and bent down, pressing his lips to Duo's. There was a slight tensing of Duo's body, but then, very soon, Duo relaxed and accepted the kiss for what it was... a sweet farewell.   
  
In that moment, Zechs not only felt himself falling away, broken, but also the truth that he might have destroyed Duo's one chance for something beautiful. But that something had not been between him and Duo... it had been between Duo and Heero.   
  
Suddenly, he pulled out of the kiss with a gasp, the clarity of what he had done spiking in his mind and in his heart.   
  
Duo's eyes remained closed seconds longer, but when they opened he quickly saw that something was wrong. "What is it?" he asked, his pulse quickening. "You look... frightened."   
  
A small smile curled at Zechs's lips. Perhaps he was afraid, but it was for Duo and not himself. Maybe, just maybe there was still time to put things right.   
  
"If you'd like to finish packing, I have a phone call to make," Zechs said, very mysteriously.   
  
Duo tilted his head, but didn't argue. He went back to his duffel bag, sadly not having found his cap, and threw a couple more items in before zipping it closed. Then he grabbed his brown leather bomber's jacket from the wardrobe and slipped it on. When he returned to the center of the room, Zechs was just hanging up the phone.   
  
"I guess this is it," Duo said, holding his bag in front of him with both hands.   
  
Zechs sighed. Damn, Duo could look so vulnerable at times. "Indeed. Please allow me to walk with you," Zechs said, opening the door for them.   
  
Outside the palace, Zechs gestured to the surprise he had arranged.   
  
"My bike!" Duo exclaimed with a bright smile. "When did this get here?"   
  
"Only yesterday. I was going to surprise you with it this evening..."   
  
Duo looked up at Zechs and frowned. "Zechs, I'm sorry..."   
  
Zechs shook his head. "We agreed upon something when we began," he said in a nostalgic tone. "We agreed to be a comfort to one another, and we did that."   
  
Now Duo was shaking his head. "Yeah, but..."   
  
A long, white finger touched Duo's lips, silencing him. "Duo, you were my comfort and my friend when I had none. I regret nothing of what we shared."   
  
"And I'm still your friend," Duo said, adamantly. He was hurting, but he wasn't about to let it show. He and Zechs needed a clean break, and so Duo smiled and added, "I'll always be your friend."   
  
"Thank you," Zechs said, and then walked over to the motorcycle with Duo, watching him fasten his bag with bungee cords.   
  
As Duo readied to mount the bike, Zechs spoke again, knowing this was his last chance. "There is something I must confess before you go."   
  
"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Duo asked, leaning against his bike comfortably. It felt so good to have his wheels back!   
  
"It's about the duel."   
  
"Not that stupid thing again," Duo said, rolling his eyes. "Are you trying to get me mad? 'Cause I'm gonna get mad if you keep talking about it."   
  
"Heero lost the match," Zechs said, succinctly.   
  
Duo stood up, surprised, but then schooled his features. "Well, that's too bad for Heero," he said, sarcastically.   
  
Zechs ignored the flippant remark, knowing that Duo was suffering. "You are aware that the duel was about you, but what you don't know was the consequence for losing."   
  
Duo gulped. That didn't sound good. "You didn't take him out back and hang him, did you?" he half-joked.   
  
"Nothing so barbaric," Zechs replied in a regal tone. "I chose instead to banish Heero from the Sank Kingdom."   
  
Duo blinked. "You banished him?"   
  
"Yes, Heero is gone from this place, never to return."   
  
A flash of panic skittered through Duo. "Where did he go?" It was the child in him speaking again, but the young man quickly regained control. "No, wait. Don't answer that."   
  
Duo's sudden play at disinterest was not lost on Zechs. "Duo," Zechs said, touching the boy's shoulder. "You love Heero, and I know that he loves you. After all, he was fighting for you."   
  
"He was fighting for a good fuck!" Duo exclaimed, angrily, shaking off Zechs's hand.   
  
Zechs pulled back, but regrouped. "Heero was fighting for the person he loves."   
  
Duo gave a derisive snort, crossing his arms defensively over his chest. "And how would you know so damn much about it?"   
  
"Because a true soldier knows his enemy's weakness," Zechs said, his tone and mannerisms regressing to the Lightning Count. "Yes, he lost to me, but this fight was not like the others. Before he battled only to defeat me, this time he battled for you. He was desperate for you. And if I didn't know how much you love him, I wouldn't have told you this."   
  
There was a softening in Duo's eyes, and then in a blink it was gone. "Any other confessions for me?"   
  
"Perhaps you didn't fully hear the first one," Zechs said, smoothly.   
  
"I got it," Duo snapped, turning to his bike and swinging a leg over as he seated himself. "You want me to chase after a guy who dumped me six months ago and has been yanking my chain for the last three days, pretending he's changed when in fact, all he was doing was trying to find a way back into my pants. Well, I've been there, done that. I'm closing up shop on the easy fuck department."   
  
Zechs shook his head. "You can't really believe that?"   
  
"Zechs, it's not your place to worry about it anymore... In fact, it was never your place to worry about it."   
  
Duo put his helmet and leather gloves on, and ignited the engine. "Yep, still purrs like a kitten," he said with a grin, seeming to have forgotten their conversation already.   
  
"You can still find him," Zechs said, over the engine's idle. "He took the mountain road. When the main highway forks left, bear right through the mountains. It's the shortest distance out of Sank, but the road can be quite unpredictable up there."   
  
"You don't give up, do you?" Duo asked, looking at the blond man curiously.   
  
"I hope it's you who doesn't give up," Zechs said.   
  
Duo nodded slowly, gazing at Zechs for a long moment. He had so many regrets with Zechs, but there was no use in apologizing again. As Zechs had said, they had agreed to be a comfort to one another, and they had done that... quite well.   
  
"I wish I had something profound to say right now," Duo said with a chuckle. "But even if I did, it's not my style."   
  
Zechs smiled. This was their goodbye, but he would do everything he could to keep it from being sad.   
  
"You definitely have your own style," Zechs said, lightly.   
  
"Nah, my style was all you. You're one classy guy," Duo said with a wide smile.   
  
Zechs looked away briefly, his eyes going out over the great expanse of lawn to the road beyond. This was where he was meant to be. Ruling Sank was his destiny...   
  
Ice blue eyes turned back to Duo, shining with a mix of farewell and happy memories. "I think you're right. There are no words for this moment."   
  
Duo's smile faded slightly at Zechs's sedate tone. "Yeah, no words, but there's no forgetting either," he said.   
  
Zechs nodded, knowing there was certainly no way he would ever be able to forget Duo Maxwell.   
  
"Friends," he said, holding out his elegant hand.   
  
Duo looked at the extended hand and then into Zechs's eyes and smiled. "Yeah, friends always," he agreed and took the warm hand in his.   
  
Their hands shook and then separated slowly, each young man's mind briefly flashing on the passion they had shared, and what it had all meant.   
  
With no hard feelings to haunt either one, Duo put his bike into gear and smiled once more. "You're gonna make someone very happy someday," he said, and drove off without looking back.   
  
"I had rather hoped that someone would be you..." Zechs said, but his words went unheard as Duo disappeared over the horizon.


	7. Conclusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Artemis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Mid-day was not the best time to be setting off on a journey. The sun baked the road, making Duo perspire and wish for the cool, green grass of the palace grounds.   
  
Pathetic, Duo thought. He had been on the road for less than an hour and he was already missing the creature comforts of the Royal palace. Well, he wasn't about to turn back, and he certainly wasn't going to run to his other independently wealthy friend either. The next time Duo saw any of the former Gundam pilots he was gonna have his act together.   
  
It was then that he saw it, the place Zechs had described. Just ahead was where the main road veered left, and a second road, the mountain road, ribboned away into the dark shade of evergreens. Duo swallowed. He had a decision to make.   
  
"No," he said, firmly. He had already made that decision. He was sticking to the main road and to hell with Heero.   
  
In seconds, he was speeding past the fork, easily veering left. He took a deep breath. That hadn't been so hard. Then from over a mound came a deer, bounding onto the road. Duo's eyes went wide with the unexpected obstacle, but his training and quick reflexes saved him, allowing him to swerve clear of the deer and come to a stop several hundred yards down the road.   
  
With his heart in his throat, he looked back to where the deer had crossed in front of him and shook his head. Damn, that had been close. It struck him as funny how fast things could change. One minute he was wishing the road wasn't so damn hot and the next he was nearly splattered all over it.   
  
"And here I am, looking back at that damn fork again," he said, the juncture still visible from where he had stopped.   
  
Clearly he would have to make that decision again, whether to continue on the main highway or to take the mountain road, like Heero had. The thought of Heero made Duo shiver. He could practically feel his presence, but surely that was only because he knew he had come this way. It couldn't be because he still ached for the boy and was still licking his lips from that fantastic kiss this morning.   
  
The indecision was all too familiar and that irked Duo. He had come so far with his feelings, to the point of convincing himself that he could gamble, relatively safely, on Heero. And where had that gotten him? Out here, on the open road, all by his lonesome. And the strangest part of the equation was that Zechs, Heero's eternal rival, had been the one to argue Heero's case.   
  
Duo shook his head, remembering Zechs's words, "I hope it's you who doesn't give up." So this is what he meant, Duo thought, believing that somehow Zechs had seen his future, seen how Duo would let his pride, and once again his fear, take him down the wrong damn road.   
  
"Fine, I'll take the fuckin' mountain road," Duo decided aloud.   
  
It seemed appropriate that by choosing Heero, Duo was also choosing to take the more dangerous road. Life with Heero would definitely have its bumps and pitfalls, but the alternative was something that Duo no longer wished to think about.   
  
If things don't work out this time, Duo mused, I can easily dispose of the body.   
  
Not knowing just how far ahead Heero was, Duo took risks he normally would not. He sped back to the fork, taking the turn while barely slowing down, and pushed the bike and his nerves to the limits. In fact, he was going so fast along the shaded road that it took his mind several seconds to process that he had buzzed passed a motorcycle parked on the shoulder.   
  
With a squeal of his tires, Duo stopped, jerked his bike around, and headed back the nearly quarter mile to investigate, his heart thumping in his ears.   
  
+  
  
After nearly an hour on the road, Heero had decided to take a break in the shade of one of the many evergreens lining the mountain road. He wasn't as tired as he was reluctant to continue. He was still several hours from crossing the Sank border, and he suspected that despite his lack of escort from the palace, his progress was being closely monitored. Hell, he knew it was. He had designed and supervised the installation of the tracking system into the border patrol bikes. And yet he hadn't bothered to remove it from this one.   
  
Pure desperation, Heero thought. He had felt like he was falling the further he drove from the palace. Free falling into oblivion without a safety net, without Duo to catch him and pull him back with his cocky smile and boisterous laugh. Yeah, Heero Yuy was desperate to be found, because he knew he could never go back, and certainly could not go on... without Duo.   
  
So here he sat, at the base of a tree, with a twig in his hand and a lump in his throat. Hoping, praying, begging the universe that someone was watching out for him.   
  
"Duo," he said. The name sounded on his lips as the sound of a motorcycle rumbled in the distance.   
  
Heero looked down the winding road and perked his ears. Definitely a motorcycle, and by the whining pitch of the motor it was going too fast for these conditions. He only knew one idiot who could drive like that and survive.   
  
"Duo," he said again, this time with a smile.   
  
Before he had a chance to stand, the motorcycle came round the bend, accelerating again. The bike and its driver whipped by in a blur, but Heero had seen enough... he had seen a braid like a streaming banner, blowing in the wind.   
  
He jumped to his feet and in a flash he heard the squeal of tires. With a deep, shaky breath, he walked to his bike and watched as the motorcycle turned around and came back down the hill to him.   
  
Duo pulled his bike up alongside Heero, their eyes meeting, locking onto one another in disbelief and longing. He had found Heero! But this time he wasn't going to remain silent and then storm off in a huff. He was here to gamble on Heero, and he expected to win.   
  
"Where ya' heading?" Duo asked, breathless.   
  
"Anywhere you are," Heero responded as the hint of a smile broke across his face.   
  
"Well, all right!" Duo said with a nod and a wide grin.   
  
Duo watched with curiosity and growing excitement as Heero removed his pack from his own bike and secured it to Duo's. He didn't want to leap to conclusions, but when Heero put his helmet on and then stood next to him, it seemed pretty clear. Heero wanted to ride with him.   
  
With a bright smile, Duo nodded for Heero to mount up. Oh, this would be so much better than riding on separate bikes. They were throwing their lot in together--wherever you're going, so am I. Heero got on the back of the bike and placed his hands lightly on Duo's hips, not wanting to assume anything. But Duo would have none of that. He looked back over his shoulder.   
  
"If you're gonna ride with me, then you'd better hang on," Duo said, and pulled Heero's hands around his waist.   
  
Heero grinned and leaned forward into the body in front of him. There was a second's delay as they absorbed the feel of the other. Then they were off, heading over the great Cascade Mountain and out of Sank.   
  
+  
  
Gloriously strong, slender arms wrapped around Duo's waist, hugging him, bringing him impossibly close to the boy behind him. The shared warmth of their bodies was distracting. Duo yearned to sit Heero down and stare into those dark, blue pools for endless hours, and very soon he would get his chance. It wouldn't be long before they crossed the Sankian border and sought out a place to spend the night. Duo's body tingled in anticipation. It would be his first night with Heero in so many months... a night alone to do and have done.   
  
Just as it seemed they would never reach the elusive border, Duo glimpsed a small yellow road sign in the distance. As they drew closer, he saw the border post to the side of the road, little more than a booth for the patrolmen to keep out of the weather. Without these manmade markers, travelers would pass this spot and not know they had entered or left the Sank Kingdom. The border was just on the other side of the mountain, and there was no distinct geographic feature to set it apart from another piece of land. Duo mused that Zechs's ancestor, Renalto Peacecraft, had been the one to set this boundary. The thought made him a little sad, remembering.   
  
Heero sensed, rather than felt Duo's distress, and squeezed the boy's thigh with his hand. It was a simple gesture to let him know that everything was going to be all right. They were together now. Duo smiled, glad for Heero at his back, and slowed only a little as they crossed the border. As much as he tried, Duo couldn't help a little cringe, half expecting a net to drop on them or soldiers to jump out at them. But no obstacle appeared. They were free.   
  
Down the road, and down the other side of the mountain some ten miles, they came into a tiny village. Its picturesque beauty prompted Duo into thinking he might like to buy a postcard of this place. A souvenir of the first place he and Heero had visited in their new life. It was a new life, wasn't it? They hadn't had a chance to talk yet, but he was sure that's what they wanted... to be together.   
  
They had arrived at the end of a market day and the streets were still crowded with vendors and their last customers. Duo slowed the bike to a near crawl, carefully weaving around carts and pedestrians. The mountain highway was so different here. It had suddenly become little more than a village street, eventually taking them to the town's square where a fountain bubbled and women and children milled about, showing off the day's purchases.   
  
Surrounding the square were buildings that had to be over a hundred years old. Duo wondered how this place had fared so well during the war. It looked untouched by time. There were shops, houses, and on one corner a large, prosperous inn. Heero tapped Duo's shoulder and nodded toward the inn.   
  
"Yep," Duo agreed, turning them in that direction.   
  
They parked the bike at the side of the building and dismounted, stretching and popping out the kinks in their muscles from their long journey. They had been traveling for nearly three hours at a fast, wild pace.   
  
"Got ya' here in one piece," Duo said, looking Heero up and down. "And you didn't flinch once."   
  
"If you were trying to make me flinch by taking those hairpin turns at sixty miles per hour, you'll have to try harder next time."   
  
"Is that right?" Duo asked with a crooked grin. "Your life didn't flash before your eyes... even once?" the boy said with a chuckle.   
  
"It did, but that was before you picked me up off the side of the road."   
  
Duo looked at Heero, mouth agape. "Huh?"   
  
Heero shook his head. "Maybe I'll explain it to you later. Right now, we need to get you fed. I could feel your stomach growling for the last hour."   
  
Duo laughed as he grabbed their bags and then they headed inside. To their surprise and great relief, the inn was rustic and entirely unpretentious in its forest decor. Large, hand-hewn beams supported the ceiling, carved wooden chairs were grouped snuggly around a fireplace, colorful woven rugs covered the slate floor, and stuffed animals were posed atop bookcase shelves. The inn had so much of a homey, self-made quality that Duo felt immediately comfortable.   
  
Heero noted Duo's ease as he watched the other boy smile, half gaping at their new surroundings. Duo was free of his gilded cage.   
  
Heero nudged Duo toward the reception desk. "We need a room for the night," Heero said, to the large, red-faced woman, knitting a scarf in an oversized chair.   
  
"Oh, good, good," the woman said in a bouncy accent. She got up from the chair with a creak, whether it was the chair or her bones it was hard to tell. "You boys look as though you've had a long day."   
  
Heero glanced at Duo and then back at the woman. "Do you serve dinner here as well?"   
  
"The best meals in town!" the woman boasted easily. She leaned back, stretching her hand into one of the cubbyholes behind her and pulled out two keys. "Room two is available," she said and then turned the register toward Heero. "You'll need to sign this." She laid the keys to the side and rang a bell.   
  
Duo watched as a young boy, no more than ten, came running out from a side room.   
  
"Yes, Ma'am?" he asked.   
  
"Take these young men's bags up to room two," she said, handing him one key.   
  
Duo obliged the boy by handing over their bags.   
  
"Your room is on the right at the top of the stairs," she said, handing the other key to Duo. "It's a bit small, but it has a lovely fireplace."   
  
The woman then came around from behind the desk and escorted them to a small dining room. A couple of other travelers were having dinner and several locals were drinking and talking at the bar. Again the surroundings were pleasant and warm.   
  
Once seated, they removed their jackets and were each given handwritten menus. "Would you like something to drink before dinner?"   
  
Duo gazed over at the bar and then back to Heero, who shrugged.   
  
"Yeah, I'd like a beer," Duo said. And why the hell not? He wasn't driving anymore tonight and he could use the alcohol to help him relax.   
  
"We have a fine lager that I'm sure you'll enjoy. And you, sir?" the woman asked Heero.   
  
"I'll have the same."   
  
Duo's eyes widened. "Really?"   
  
"Sounds good," Heero said, and then the woman was gone, leaving them to make their dinner selection.   
  
Duo chuckled under his breath.   
  
"What's so funny?" Heero asked.   
  
"Nothing," Duo said, scanning the hearty offerings on the menu. "Just the thought of us sharing a beer." When he didn't hear a response, Duo looked up and across the table to his companion whose eyes were already on him. "Uh, I think I'll have the rabbit and sausage stew," Duo said, gulping at the intensity in Heero's eyes. "What about you?"   
  
Heero stared a few seconds longer, taking in Duo's nervousness, and then looked down at the menu. "The beef pot pie," he said and pushed the paper aside, looking up again. "We have a lot to talk about..."   
  
"Yeah, but don't you think we should wait for our beers?"   
  
Heero had to admit it was awkward sitting here like this. Maybe it would have been better for them to go directly to their room. The complete privacy would have allowed him to touch Duo, to ease his nerves with a gentle kiss or a brush of his hand. But here, in this room, with people all about, coming and going, it was nearly impossible to convey the intimacy, understanding he so desperately wished to share.   
  
"Sure, we can wait," Heero said, and leaned back in his chair.   
  
Duo busied himself with rearranging his silverware and fussing with the cloth napkin on his lap. It seemed forever before a waitress came back with the tall, foaming glasses of lager.   
  
Duo took a quick sip and grinned. "Exactly what the doctor ordered."   
  
"Good," Heero said, taking a swallow from his own glass.   
  
They placed their dinner orders and then were left alone, once again.   
  
"So... here we are," Duo said, tapping the side of his glass.   
  
"I know it's been a long time, but you never lacked for words before," Heero said, slightly frustrated at the awkwardness of this moment.   
  
"Six months," Duo said.   
  
Heero cocked his head.   
  
"It's been six months. Well, actually it's been five months, three weeks and two days since you walked out..."   
  
"Hold it," Heero said, lifting his hand. "Are we back together now?"   
  
Duo blinked. "Yeah."   
  
"Then you can stop counting."   
  
"I'll damn well count 'til the end of time if I want," Duo said with a toss of his head. "Hey, I'm the dumpee, remember? I think that gives me the right to tell you a thing or two."   
  
"Is that right?"   
  
"Yeah, it is," Duo said.   
  
Heero stared him down one second, two seconds, and then grinned. He loved his Duo cocky and all fired up. Shit, this could be one hell of a night.   
  
Just then the waitress brought their meals. Their plates were steaming and filled with rabbit, sausage, potato and carrots, and a rich beef stew nestled in a golden piecrust. Duo tucked into his food the same way he did everything... with gusto. There was no half way of doing anything for Duo. You either did it, and did it right, or not at all. It was a pleasure watching Duo eat, but Heero had begun to feel the pangs of hunger as well, and was happy to postpone their talk for a few more minutes.   
  
Twenty minutes later, Duo was mopping his plate with a piece of crusty bread, absorbing the last bit of rich gravy. Heero, too, had finished his meal.   
  
"That was the best damn stew I've ever had!" Duo exclaimed, patting his stomach.   
  
"I wouldn't mind staying here a few days, just for the meals," Heero said, pleasantly.   
  
Duo smiled. "It's good to hear you say that."

"Why is that?"   
  
"Well, it makes you more human. I like hearing about what you like," Duo said.   
  
Heero nodded. He would make a point of sharing his likes and dislikes more often.   
  
"So you think we might stay here a couple of days?" Duo asked, licking some gravy off a finger.   
  
"I'll leave it up to you," Heero said, his eyes riveted to the slide of Duo's tongue over his finger.   
  
Duo tilted his head. He couldn't recall Heero ever being this accommodating. "Okay, we'll play it by ear."   
  
Their conversation went silent and Duo's eyes soon drifted down to the table and his empty plate. If they were back together again, then why was it so difficult to talk? It seemed it had been far easier when they were still separated and arguing with each other. Making up was not as easy or as straightforward as Duo or Heero had hoped.   
  
"Hey," Duo said, suddenly, looking up with an idea. "Tell me what you've been doing."   
  
"You already know," Heero said, his brow knitting. "I was Sank's chief security advisor for the last six months."   
  
"Yeah, but that can't be all," Duo said with a smile. "Relena mentioned how much reading you've done... what about stuff like that?"   
  
"I've been systematically reading all the books in the Royal library."   
  
"Anything else? Do any sightseeing? Relena must've taken you out on a boat cruise at least one day."   
  
Heero took a deep breath. "I worked twelve to fourteen hour days, every day," he said, flatly. "Most days I didn't take a break, working until eight or nine at night. Then I'd have a light supper and go to the library where I read into the night until I fell asleep. There was no time for sightseeing or boat cruises or anything else you might call fun."   
  
"Well, you don't have to get all huffy about it..."   
  
"What we should be discussing is what you've been doing," Heero said, his features growing oddly intense.   
  
"I was afraid you were gonna ask me that," Duo said with a frown. "Well, I'll tell ya, I was making iced cafe mochas with whipped cream and delivering books to wealthy, academic types. But you know what? I'm not gonna apologize for it. I took those jobs to support myself and I made a lot of people happy with those coffee drinks. Damn, they were upset to see me go...."   
  
"Is that how you met Zechs?"   
  
The question caught Duo off guard. He blinked a couple of times and repeated it in his mind. Had Heero just asked him about Zechs?   
  
"Uh, yeah," he said, hesitantly. "I met him at the coffee shop. Rikk, my co-worker, used to call him the Ice Man..."   
  
"How long were you together?"   
  
"About two months... Hey, I don't see what this has to do with anything..."   
  
"So Zechs came in for coffee one day and then what happened?"   
  
Duo squirmed in his chair, uncomfortable with this line of questioning. "You know it's over between me and Zechs. I totally dumped him..."   
  
"Then you have no feelings for him?"   
  
"Well, we're still friends," Duo said. "Why are you asking me this shit? Zechs was the one who told me where to find you today. If it wasn't for him, I don't think we'd be sitting here together."   
  
Heero considered the logic in that statement, but for some reason it was being overpowered by the emotions building inside him. He was jealous. He had been jealous, angry, torn to see Duo with Zechs, and to know that Duo had slept with Zechs. Suddenly, Zechs's taunt from the duel came back to Heero, _He's been in my bed for the last two months._  
  
"You were sleeping with him," Heero said, in an accusing tone. "Unless you were just whoring yourself, how could you not feel something for him?"   
  
Duo's faced paled to a ghostly white as his jaw dropped open. "No," he whispered, shaking his head. "You didn't just say what I think you said."   
  
Duo got up from the table, stumbling to his feet, and staring at Heero with wide, disbelieving and hurt-filled eyes. "You're a fucking bastard, you know that, Heero? A no good, fucking bastard." And with that, Duo turned and tore out of the hotel's dining room.   
  
Heero was on his feet in a split second, realizing too late what a horrible mistake he had made. Shit, what had possessed him to call Duo a whore? He loved Duo. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Duo. He would do anything for Duo... but there he had sat, playing the victim and calling his beautiful Duo a whore!   
  
"Fuck," Heero said, his heart hammering so hard against his chest he thought it would leave bruises.   
  
He was literally just seconds behind Duo, following the braid as it whipped around a corner and headed up the stairs to their room. Thank God for small miracles. At least Duo had not run outside and gotten onto his bike and taken off into the night.   
  
Duo opened the hotel room door and slammed it shut just as Heero came onto the landing. Three steps and Heero was at the door, which was blessedly unlocked, and heading inside their room.   
  
"Duo," Heero said, as he entered the room and closed the door behind him. Duo was huddled in a chair with his back to the room, his shoulders shaking. "That was stupid of me. I'm sorry..."   
  
He walked over to the other boy and could now clearly hear that Duo was crying. "Please, Duo, you've got to forgive me. You can't imagine how it hurt seeing you with Zechs..." He put his hand on Duo's shoulder, but it was violently shrugged off.   
  
"Get the fuck away from me!" Duo snarled between sobs.   
  
"I was jealous. I shouldn't have said that. Can't you see how horrible it is for me knowing you were with someone else? And Zechs, of all people..."   
  
Duo swung around, his eyes red and puffy with tears. "Horrible for you? What about me? You left me in Arabia! Left me to explain to our friends why we weren't together anymore. I had nothing! I wandered for months before settling in Boston... I was heartbroken! I hated you!"   
  
"Is that why?" Heero asked, needing to get closer to the truth. "Is that why you went with Zechs?"   
  
Duo shook his head, tears falling down his pale cheeks. "No," he said, his lips quivering. "I wanted to kill Zechs..."   
  
Heero squatted down on the floor in front of Duo, his own eyes filling with tears to see Duo so distraught, so overcome with emotion.   
  
"He said he wanted to get to know a Gundam pilot. So why not?" Duo asked with a shrug. "It seemed harmless enough..."   
  
"Did he rape you?" Heero asked.   
  
"NO!" Duo shouted, fiercely. "He was a gentleman and he won me over. That's all. He never did anything I didn't want him to do." Duo turned his face away, looking out the window to the evening sky. "I was lonely," he said, softly, ashamed to admit it, and remembering keenly just how powerful that loneliness had been. "I wanted companionship..." He turned his tired eyes back to Heero. "I wasn't handling missing you very well."   
  
Heero nodded. "I didn't handle it well myself," he said smiling ruefully. "That's why I spent so much time working and reading on my own."   
  
Duo sniffled as his tears lessened, and his chest warmed with Heero's words.   
  
"Try to understand what it's like for me knowing there was someone else in your life, because there was no one for me after you," Heero said, his hand reaching out. When it was not pushed away, he placed it on Duo's knee. "I was true to you, Duo. I didn't want anyone else... only you. I love you and I'll do anything to keep you in my life."   
  
With a shaky breath, Duo nodded. "I'm sorry," he said, putting his hand over Heero's. "I love you, Heero. I meant to tell you that before you left..."   
  
A single tear blinked out of Duo's eye and Heero reached up with his free hand and wiped it away. "That's the first time I've heard you say it," he said, smiling.   
  
Duo considered that a moment and then nodded. "Damn, you're right," he said, thrilled to have finally told Heero of his love for him and shocked that he hadn't sooner. "And it won't be the last time, because I do love you, Heero."   
  
The love declarations were a big step for them, and each reveled in hearing the words from the other. They looked into each other's eyes and then leaned closer until their lips met in a soft kiss. Duo's lips tasted of salt tears and Heero found himself wanting more. It was a heady combination... the taste of Duo, the lager beer, and tears... a wonderful blend for their first kiss as reunited lovers.   
  
When Heero kissed Duo again, something told him to keep it soft, make this slow and gentle for Duo. Maybe it was the moment, this room, the quiet around them, or perhaps the turbulence they had just come through. No matter the reason it felt good, and Duo was soon moaning his approval.   
  
"This is nice," Duo said, his lips brushing Heero's. The smell and the touch of the other boy warmed his entire body. "You should kiss me like this more."   
  
"Not a problem," Heero said, getting to one knee and leaning in to take his lips again. A couple more tender kisses and Heero pulled back, sitting on his heels. "Are you all right now?" he asked, noting that Duo's tears had dried.   
  
"Yeah," Duo said, with a small smile, appreciating Heero's concern. "I think I understand what you were going through," he began, slowly. "But I want you to know something, Heero. You were always in my heart. What I did with..."   
  
Heero's hand came up, gently covering Duo's mouth. "You said it's over between the two of you, and I believe you," he said, lowering his hand.   
  
"But are you all right?" Duo asked, echoing the question he had been given a moment before.   
  
Heero grinned. "I never knew I was the jealous type... but I'll be all right."   
  
Duo smiled and pulled Heero to him in a loving embrace. "Good," he said, wrapping his arms around the other boy. "I missed this," he whispered in Heero's ear. "I missed you..."   
  
Heero closed his eyes, absorbing Duo's words and the feel of his body. He ran his hands up Duo's back and felt a tiny shiver. "You cold?"   
  
Duo nodded. The room was a bit cool. They released each other and turned to the fireplace, dark and wanting of a fire.   
  
"I'll get it started," Heero volunteered, getting up and finding a box of kindling to help in the task.   
  
Duo moved to the bed to get a better view of Heero bending over, and sunk deep into the feather down mattress. "Oh, very nice," he grinned, bouncing up and down. He suddenly had the urge to stretch and yawn, and realized just how tired he was. "Damn, I think I could fall asleep."   
  
"Then why don't you?" Heero asked, glancing over his shoulder. Oh, Duo on that big bed...   
  
"Well, 'cause this is our first night together," Duo said, sounding uncharacteristically shy.   
  
This time Heero turned fully to look at Duo. "You had something special in mind for tonight?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. The fire was now growing nicely behind him, silhouetting the outline of his body.   
  
Duo nodded, smoothing the comforter under his hand.   
  
Heero got up from his squatted position and walked over to stand before him. "I haven't... since I was with you," he said, softly.   
  
"Yeah," Duo said, seeing the slight worry on Heero's brow. "So you wanna now?"   
  
Heero swallowed. Oh, did he ever. But he was a little nervous.   
  
"You haven't forgotten how?" Duo asked, rubbing his leg against Heero's suggestively.   
  
"I'm sure you'll remind me," Heero said. The words sent a tingle up his spine. Suddenly their last day together came back to him. He had teased Duo that he couldn't remember their lovemaking that afternoon, and Duo had said he would remind him. "We used to have a lot of fun in bed," Heero said with a grin.   
  
"We sure did. So why don't you come on in?" Duo invited, patting the comforter.   
  
Heero inched closer, bending over Duo... and then they heard a knock on their door.   
  
"No way," Duo said, sighing. Another knock and he turned to stare a hole through the door. "Who could that be?"   
  
As if on cue the intruder called to them, "It's Erik. You left your jacket downstairs."   
  
"I'll get it," Heero said, going over to the door and opening it. The boy handed him the black denim jacket. "What about the other one?" Heero asked.   
  
"What other one?" the boy asked.   
  
"My friend's brown leather jacket."   
  
"Oh, maybe it's still in the dining room..."   
  
Heero looked back at Duo. "Get comfortable, I'll be right back."   
  
"Sure," Duo said with a smile.   
  
As the door closed, Duo hopped off the bed and quickly undressed down to bare skin. The room had heated and colored quickly with the warm glow of the fire, but it wasn't warm enough to be running around naked. Duo tossed his clothes onto the chair and dove back onto the bed, sliding under the comforter. He melted into the thick cushioned mattress, wriggling in the feel of smooth cotton sheets and fluffy pillows. It would be exquisite to have Heero beneath the covers with him, building their own fire with the friction of their bodies. Another yawn and cat-like stretch, and Duo snuggled in to wait for his lover.   
  
When Heero returned only moments later with Duo's jacket, he found the other boy sound asleep. He smiled, setting the jacket down and walking over to the bed to take a closer look. Duo's breathing was soft from an easy slumber. The sight of one pink, bare shoulder, peeking out from under the comforter, told Heero that Duo had indeed made himself comfortable. He smiled again as he glanced up to the chair where Duo's clothes had been tossed haphazardly, and no doubt in a hurry. He would let Duo have his sleep. The stress and excitement of their reunion had surely exhausted him.   
  
+  
  
The road went deeper into the forest, the dark shadows of the trees surrounding him, closing him in. He was tired, so very tired, but he had miles to go. Up the mountain road he trudged, pushing his motorcycle alongside him, but never seeming to make any progress. His bike had become impossibly heavy, but he wouldn't leave it behind, forgotten by the side of the road to rust. He would find Heero and together they would share the burden.   
  
"Heero!" he called to the empty road before him. Maybe he was just around the next bend? "Heero... this is too heavy. I can't do this by myself."   
  
But there was no answer, and the more he struggled, the heavier the bike became until it began to slip from his grasp.   
  
"No," he sobbed as he tried to tighten his hold. But the bike was slipping away. Falling, falling down the mountainside... "No!"   
  
+  
  
Duo woke with a start, his eyes flying open at the moment he had jumped over the side of the mountain after his bike. He wasn't falling, he was safe in bed. But where was he? This didn't look like his apartment...   
  
As his pulse slowed, he remembered. He was with Heero in a tiny village just beyond the Sankian border. The pop of the wood in the fireplace brought Duo even more awake, and he leaned up on his elbows. Where was Heero? He looked to his side, but saw only an empty space beside him. Had Heero gone?   
  
"Heero?" he called, looking about the room. His heart began to pound again. "Heero!"   
  
The bathroom door swung open. "Duo?" Heero asked as he came into the room.   
  
Duo blinked large eyes at the other boy. Fresh from the shower, small beads of water clung to Heero's bare shoulders and chest, and a towel was wrapped snugly about his hips.   
  
"Did you call out?" Heero asked, coming to the bed.   
  
Duo swallowed. "I thought you had gone," he said, warring with the irrational fear inside him even as his eyes lustfully drank in the boy before him.   
  
Heero sat down on the bed, and seeing the fright in Duo's eyes, reached over and caressed his cheek. "I'm not going anywhere, unless it's with you," he said with a smile. "But you look as though you don't believe me," he added when Duo's features did not calm.   
  
"I had a bad dream..." Duo admitted, but then shook his head. "I guess not all of me has realized I have you again."   
  
Heero scooted closer, now taking Duo's hand. "It'll take time," he said, reasonably. "I'm still finding it a little hard to believe, too."

"Really?" Duo asked.   
  
"Sure. We were apart for half a year and I don't think either of us thought we'd see each other again."   
  
"Yeah," Duo said, softly, easing with Heero at his side.   
  
"But we are together," Heero said, squeezing Duo's hand. "We've been given a second chance and we should make the best of it."   
  
Duo nodded and then noticed the long, red cut on Heero's arm. "What's that?" he asked, reaching his hand up to examine the injury. "How'd you cut yourself?"   
  
When Heero didn't immediately answer, Duo understood. "Oh, the duel," he said, simply.   
  
"I should bandage that..." Heero said as he started to get up from the bed.   
  
Duo grabbed his wrist, keeping him in place. "Zechs told me what happened, but he didn't mention this."   
  
"It's nothing," Heero said.   
  
"Maybe nothing compared to self-destructing," Duo said with a snort.   
  
"I wasn't trying to get myself killed this time. But I shouldn't have been fighting in the first place."   
  
"You, not wanting to fight?" Duo asked, more than a little surprised.   
  
"There's a time and a place for it... and this wasn't it."   
  
"And now you can never go back to Sank," Duo added.   
  
"That's all right. Let Zechs have his victory," Heero said, lifting his chin. "I've got you and that's all that really matters."   
  
Duo smiled. "I do believe you mean that, don't you, Heero?" Duo asked, as he scooted up more into a sitting position.   
  
Heero nodded with an affirmative grunt.   
  
"Let's not mess things up again, okay?" Duo said, determinedly. "I mean, we really need to work at this... us."   
  
The tone in Duo's voice and the plea in his eyes told Heero that Duo was very sincere in his commitment to making their relationship work. Now Heero needed to be sure that Duo understood he was just as committed to their success.   
  
"We can start by making an effort to share our feelings," Heero said, knowing that had been a major stumbling block for them the first time around.   
  
"Talking is good," Duo said, nodding. "I saw that change right away in you. You're much more open with me now."   
  
Heero nodded. That change hadn't come easy for him. After spending so many nights alone, thinking about Duo and how he had lost him over a little pride, he vowed never to conceal his heart again.   
  
"I knew I had to tell you everything or I might never get you back," he admitted.   
  
"Yeah, the new and improved Heero sure surprised me," Duo said, smiling. "But you know, expressing our feelings doesn't have to be all in words." A little sexy grin curled Duo's lips. "Talking is good, but not all the time."   
  
Heero licked his lips. Oh, he was such a lucky boy. He had Duo back and Duo was in his bed, naked and flagging him in for a landing.   
  
"Right," Heero said, leaning forward for a kiss.   
  
Duo met that kiss and worked his mouth as his hands grabbed for the towel at Heero's waist. "Come here," Duo said, tugging the towel off and rubbing his hands over Heero's thighs.   
  
Heero smiled ferally, dropping the towel to the floor and getting under the covers with Duo. There he found heaven, a completely naked Duo who eagerly wrapped around him. Heero's still damp body sizzled as Duo's slender legs and muscled arms encircled him.   
  
"Mmm... I've waited a long time for this," Duo said, climbing on top of Heero and diving onto his mouth hungrily. His heart was pounding madly and for a moment he wasn't sure how he would contain his lust, his joy at being reunited with Heero. This is Heero, he thought. My Heero!   
  
For seconds, Heero lay almost completely passive at Duo's passionate advance. Six months had ticked by, slow at times, and a blur at other's. Half a year since Heero had enjoyed physical contact of any kind, but more importantly of the Duo kind. He was swept away, very nearly overwhelmed with the mental and physical overload of having Duo make love to him again.   
  
Heero's stillness caught up with Duo's brain and he released the boy's mouth to get a good look at him. "What?" Duo asked, breathless. "No good?"   
  
A low chuckle rumbled in Heero's throat. "Beyond good," he answered, bringing his hand up to Duo's face. "I'm in awe of you."   
  
"You're pretty awesome yourself," Duo said with a wink. "Now let's get to the good stuff. I'm tired of having you only in my dreams."   
  
Heero grinned, pulling Duo back to him and kissing him more roughly, and running his hands over the incredibly lithe body. Duo moved on him, rubbing his growing erection into Heero's belly.   
  
"Never felt this way with anyone but you," Duo said, wanting to ensure that Heero understood he was his man, and the only man Duo had ever truly wanted.   
  
He moved rhythmically on Heero, blending their scents together as their flesh heated with the friction. He had nearly forgotten just how delicious, how equal it felt to have Heero as his lover. Their bodies fit perfectly, with only a slight difference in height and Heero being broader in the chest. Duo wanted to rub his skin raw, imbue Heero's scent on his skin permanently. He and Heero belonged together, they always had.   
  
"Love you, Heero," Duo said, kissing Heero's lips and his face.   
  
"Love you," Heero responded as Duo licked a path along the curve of his ear.   
  
Heero's reserve melted away with the writhing of Duo's body. The dance that was going on above him and on him had brought him to a full and sizeable erection very quickly.   
  
"Tell me what you want," Heero said, running his hands over Duo's bottom and slipping his fingers between the cheeks.   
  
"You," Duo breathed, hotly. "I want you."   
  
Heero groaned. With his arousal building, he pressed a finger to Duo's opening. The boy arched, tossing his head back and pushing on the finger, letting it slide inside him.   
  
"Oh, God," Duo said, his face flushed with want.   
  
He kissed Heero again, darting his tongue into Heero's mouth as one finger, then two moved inside him, fucked him to readiness.   
  
"Yeah," Duo breathed, rubbing his face against the boy's neck. "Come on... let's do it."   
  
Heero withdrew his fingers and then looked to the nightstand. Shit, they had forgotten lubricant.   
  
Duo nipped at his jawline all the while humping him, needing Heero badly. He understood the hesitation, but didn't care. "Just do it," he said, taking Heero's mouth again. He couldn't wait any longer. Six months, a week, a day... even an hour had been too long to be apart. Now all Duo wanted was to hand himself over body and soul to the only boy who had ever touched his heart.   
  
Heero fed on Duo's hunger and then pulled away. They would make do, and so he spit into his hand and reached between them, stroking the saliva along his hardened shaft. Duo leaned forward, his braid falling to Heero's chest, as Heero held his cock in place to receive him. Their eyes locked as Duo sank back.   
  
"Oh!" Duo gasped at that pure contact. And then his eyes squeezed shut with the first inch of hard flesh inside him.   
  
Heero froze, not wanting to hurt Duo. "Slow down," he said, spitting into his hand and slicking his shaft again.   
  
Duo nodded and opened his eyes, watching Heero watch him as he slowly pushed down, taking more of Heero into him. God, he needed this. Not just as a sexual release, but his entire being needed to connect with Heero in this way. He moaned with the sensation of being filled. Oh, yes, he had forgotten the feel of Heero inside him, hot and rock hard.   
  
Watching Duo make love was like watching a dance. He moved so sinuously, arching his neck and his back, and rubbing his cheek on Heero like a cat. When he started his slow slide up and down, pulling off and then sliding back down, Heero thought he would come. He had forgotten the power of the sensations he felt when fucking Duo. Heero was almost buried to the balls, and he could see Duo trying to take all of him, knowing Duo wanted all of him.   
  
"Fuck me, Heero. I want to feel you," Duo said, his passionate, wide eyes pleading with the words.   
  
With a grunt, Heero rolled them over, tucking Duo under him and moving him with such care, strength and finesse that they remained connected. Duo's breath quickened and he blinked large, surprised eyes up at Heero.   
  
"Now I can give you what you want," Heero said and pushed long and hard until he was completely buried inside.   
  
"God, Heero!" Duo cried out, feeling the burn of hard flesh inside him. It was amazing, almost too much. Seeing, feeling, hearing, tasting, smelling Heero aroused Duo into a fever of need. He needed all of him, every hard inch of him and more.   
  
Duo was so tight around his cock, squeezing Heero, making him tremble and worry that he might not last until they had completely enjoyed each other. But he waited, Heero forced himself to calm and wait for Duo. When Duo wriggled beneath him, Heero began his slow assault, thrusting in and out with patience. The rhythm was easy at first, for several thrusts, but neither one of them was prepared or hoping for a slow fuck tonight. This was six months of emotion, longing, hunger in one fuck. This was coming back together, forgiving, loving, pleasuring, and remembering.   
  
Heero increased the pace, thrusting faster, easier as Duo relaxed. He slid in and out, making Duo whimper and moan with each deep thrust. They alternated between kissing and watching each other. It was as though they had to see in order to believe.   
  
As Heero rode him, faster and faster, building them toward a mutual climax, Duo slid his hand to Heero's ass. At first he just wanted to feel the tightness, the clenching muscles of Heero's buttocks. But then his fingers wandered, finding the sweet pucker. He rubbed his finger over Heero's entrance, remembering how they had always taken turns, how Heero would give himself to Duo just as willingly as Duo to him.   
  
The image of fucking Heero aroused Duo even more and he thrust back harder as he pushed at the tiny entrance. Heero nuzzled in his hair, moaning as he fucked and moaning at Duo's exploration. "Go on," he breathed into Duo's ear.   
  
Duo grinned, eager to fill the request, and fill Heero with his finger. He pressed inside, easily slipping one slender finger inside his lover. Heero moaned even louder in his ear. Oh, yes, he would have to be next.   
  
The added sensation brought Heero to the crest of the wave, and he frantically re-positioned Duo for the final assault. He hooked his arms under Duo's knees, forcing Duo's ass a little off the bed and giving a better angle of entry. Heero pounded Duo's ass, the bed thumping under them as they fucked each other to orgasm.   
  
"YES!" Duo cried out first, coming in great bursts as Heero took him hard.   
  
Heero growled and then moaned deeply as he climaxed, thrusting into Duo several more times as his cock tightened and then emptied with his release.   
  
He fell on top of Duo, exhausted and gasping for air. Duo removed his finger and rubbed his hands over Heero's back. He was equally breathless, but purring from the release they had shared.   
  
"I swear... I saw fireworks," Heero said between deep breaths.   
  
"Mmm," Duo agreed, completely satisfied. "I saw them, too."   
  
Heero was still breathing hard with the exertion, but he managed to lean up on his elbows and look into Duo's eyes. "I didn't know it could get any better," he said, his bangs falling heavy on his brow.   
  
"Oh, hell, yes," Duo said with a smile. "And I have a feeling it's gonna keep on getting better."   
  
Heero smiled in anticipation and realization. "It's because we love each other, isn't it?"   
  
"Yeah," Duo nodded with a smile. "It's definitely because we love each other."   
  
Heero tenderly kissed Duo and then withdrew, leaning over the side of the bed to grab the discarded towel. He wiped them both off and then re-settled around Duo's body, spooning behind him. Duo wriggled his bottom against Heero and laughed happily when Heero nuzzled and kissed his neck.   
  
"So what's next?" Duo asked, petting Heero's forearm.   
  
"I thought I'd give you a few minutes to recover," Heero teased.   
  
"Gee, thanks," Duo said, laughing. "But what about tomorrow and the next day? What are our plans?"   
  
"We should stay here," Heero said, licking Duo's ear. "We've got everything we need... a fire, a warm bed, wonderful meals..."   
  
"And let's not forget the mind-blowing sex," Duo added.   
  
"I'm definitely not forgetting that," Heero said, giving a thrust of his hips.   
  
They laughed and held each other, but the true meaning behind Duo's initial question still hung in the air. They could not allow their lives to drift apart again. They needed to choose the same path or at the very least two paths that complemented one another.   
  
"It's just an idea," Heero said, taking up the end of Duo's braid and brushing it over the boy's naked hip. "We could contact Lady Une."   
  
Duo turned in Heero's arms to be able to look at the other boy as they talked. "You mean, help her get her preventers organization started?"   
  
"That's one idea," Heero said.   
  
Duo liked the sound of that. It was much more in line with his training and experience as a Gundam pilot, and it would also mean he and Heero could work together... or least for the same cause.   
  
"She's indicated that she would welcome help from any and all of us Gundam pilots," Heero said.   
  
"Now wouldn't that be something if we all ended up working together again?" Duo said with a little chuckle. "God, it'd be good to see Quatre."   
  
Heero brushed aside Duo's bangs. "We should give him and Trowa a call. They've been worried... about both of us."   
  
Duo's eyes widened. "Oh, man, it's been months since I contacted them." He sunk a little deeper into the mattress, ashamed that he'd neglected his friends.   
  
"I haven't had much contact with them either, but I'm sure they'd be happy to know we're together," Heero said.   
  
"Yeah," Duo smiled, a great satisfaction coming over him. "Then that's the plan... we'll make our first stop L4, and then we'll join Une."   
  
"Mission accepted," Heero said with a hint of a grin on his lips. "But first I want you to myself for a few days."   
  
"Is that right?" Duo asked, raising an eyebrow and smiling, smugly.   
  
"Hn," Heero grunted and bent to nip at Duo's collarbone.   
  
"Great, that'll give me time to show off my new skill."   
  
Heero's head popped up and his eyes narrowed on his lover. "What skill?" he asked, suspiciously.   
  
"Making coffee, of course!" Duo crowed with a laugh.   
  
"I'd rather do this," Heero said, going back to his ministrations.   
  
"Ah, but you've never tasted one of my special creations," Duo said, smiling as Heero licked a path to his nipple. "Freshly ground and brewed coffee, blended with milk." He let his fingers brush down Heero's back and swirl around. "And a pinch or two of allspice and cinnamon," he said, adding the appropriate number of pinches to Heero's ass.   
  
"Sounds like you're serious about your coffee," Heero said, sucking Duo's nipple into his mouth.   
  
"Uhnnn..." Duo moaned, his eyes flickering closed with the sensation. "Very serious... and I haven't even gotten to the whipped cream yet."   
  
"Whipped cream, huh?" Heero asked, pulling off the nub briefly. "Maybe we need to ring for room service."   
  
Duo watched as Heero laved his nipple and then slid down. Heero's tongue followed the line of his sternum, down to his navel and down... no longer afraid of drowning. They would make love again and wade into the depths together, for the first time truly on the same page, the same path.   
  
Images of cargo bays and metal floors, starry desert nights, and ivy enclosures played in their minds. All places they had loved each other in one form or another, but none as safe and as warm and as full of hope as this room and this bed. Having found each other again, the despair of the last six months seemed a worthy trial.   
  
And for two former Gundam pilots... a trained assassin and a self-proclaimed God of Death, there were no longer any illusions. They had fallen to Earth and into each other's arms and in the process had fallen in love.   
  
End.


End file.
